The Little Pony legend: The Guardians of Harmony

Chapters

We Got This!
The Return of Tempest Shadow
A Mysterious New Friend
A storm abrewing
One Sly cat
Escape from Klugetown
It's time to be awesome!
Hozu's secret
What's my name?
A second escape
Princess Sky Star and the seaponies
Space Between
Open up your eyes
The Storm King's reign
Taking back Equestria
We got this... together!
Welcome Home
Rainbow
The final chapter
Final Letter
Prologue
The Friendship Festival
The Power of Friendship

We Got This!

*(~)*

1 Corinthians 15:58 ~

So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.

*(~)*

We Got This!

"Yes!"

Chi gave an enthusiastic howl as she flipped through the air on her skateboard, sliding down the half pipe with one of Applejack's twins, accurately named Half Pipe.

The two went up and down, sideways and front-ways, while other younger ponies and humans used the other nearby ramps, and several others were jumping up and down a bouncy house. Chi came to a halt, hitting the tip of her board, which flipped and landed in her hand. She tucked it under her arm, removing her helmet, allowing her now longer blue hair to flap against the wind.

Chi remained the exact same height as she always had, but her features had become more mature, though the changes were subtle. Her proportions had become slightly more muscular, but it was hard to tell with her long hood jacket over her gray-blue shirt with a wolf's head imprinted on the front. She wore a pair of skinny blue jeans and orange-white converse shoes.

Half Pipe stopped right beside her, flipping in mid air to give her a high five. His sister, Sweet Gala arrived alongside Sunset Shimmer and Nova Nightshade's son, Eclipse. He was only three-years-old, but incredibly bright for his age, and the twins were now seven-years-old and already with their cutie marks, which they had gained about a year ago.

Half Pipe's was that of a skateboard, and Sweet Gala's was a caramel apple's. The young male Apple pony was destined to become a daring sports star, while his sister made the best sweet apple and pear treats the Apple's had ever tasted. Like her mother and aunt Sugar Belle, she was a master baker. Eclipse, in particular, was her biggest fan. She embodied the sweet feminine country grace as her late grandmother, Pear Butter/Buttercup.

"Looking good, Ya'll! How's about you cool down with some sweet Apple cinnamon cider smoothies?"

Half Pipe was already licking his lips. Next to Eclipse, Half Pipe was another one of Sweet Gala's fans. So young and already making profits with her deliciously creative deserts. She was also daring enough to try things that weren't normally found at her farm, hence why she spent a lot of time at Sugar Cube corner with Pumpkin Cake and Pound Cake.

The fully grown twins worked at the place alongside their now elderly parents. Other times, Sweet Gala would spend at Pinkie and Cheese's Cafe.

She and Cookie Cream had grown especially close. Even if there was no definitive proof, even now, they were more than convinced their mothers shared the same blood in some way, evidence or no.

Half Pipe swooped in on his skateboard and took a sip of the smoothie, already his senses were doing a one eighty. "No unicorn magic could even compare to the magic you make with these smoothies, sis!"

Sweet Gala smiled in satisfaction as both her brother and Eclipse enjoyed their smoothies. Chi floated on by, taking one of her own, tossing a single bright shinny bit which landed flawlessly onto Sweet Gala's hoof.

"Merging Half Pipe's skate park and my desert stand was a great idea, Chi!"

The two twins had been debating for weeks on who's attraction should be presented at the Festival. Half Pipe believed everyone would have more fun with a skating rink, but Sweet Gala had already chosen the spot for her desert stand.

Chi, seeing the animosity, happily came up with the idea, and already it was becoming a success. Ponies came for the deserts to watch the skateboarding, or skateboarders came to cool off with some sweet drinks or snacks. The sugar only made them more amped up. Sure, a few did throw up, but they were too high on the adrenaline to even care! Besides, more empty stomachs meant more treats to sell. It was kind of a win win.

Chi happily ruffled the twin's hair simultaneously. "See, I told you. Even the most unlikely things can work out perfectly together." Her eyes darted towards her adopted nephew, who was already levitating the glass lid off of a cake that Sweet Gala was still finishing and was about to take a huge bite.

"Eclipse Solar Nightshade, don't even think about it!" Chi said, using his full name.

"Yes, Aunty, Chi. I'm sorry."

The little pony groaned sadly but complied and placed the lid back. Sweet Gala made him feel better by handing him one of the cupcakes she had finished. His favorite; minty-cotton candy frosting over a hot fudge brownie! It sounded gross, but the little half-spirit unicorn had a pretty endurable stomach. He chomped on it happily.

(~)

As for Cookie Cream Pie herself, the young party pony in training had also gained her cutie mark. Hers was a mixture of balloons, confetti and cupcakes. She was working alongside Hiro Sato, son of Bolin and Asami Sato, in blowing up balloons on the stage that Songbird Serenade would use for her performance.

Hiro had grown a few inches taller, now passing his sister and cousin by at least a head. He wore a sleeveless jacket with a short hight collar over a yellow green shirt with gray outlines and matching gray colored pants and a pair of dark gray and forest green sneakers. Around his wrists he wore a couple of dark green wrist bands.

Hiro tied a few of the already finished tying the already balloons to a pillar. They rose a few feet into the sky, stopping midway. Hiro shielded his eyes from the sun's rays as they shinned through. Several Pegasus ponies zoomed on by, clearing the skies of clouds.

From their instincts, today was meant to have good skies, so they were making it extra special to clear up a few clouds that covered the sky, since it was only partly clouded. They didn't control the weather completely like they used to, but they knew to which extent to intervene when necessary. So far, everything was looking perfect.

Cookie Cream blew into another ballon and formed it to look like Discord. The ballon then sprung a leak and zipped on away. Cookie Cream sprung at full gallop after it, running right past Chrysalis and three young pony/changeling hybrid children who were painting the mural of the stage.

Chrysalis's long yellow green hair was already smeared in paint and a few droplets landed on her colorful body, which didn't bother her in the slightest. Over the years, Chrysalis had grown more and more confident in her artistic talents to the point of making it her full time job as a freelance artist. Currently, she was commissioned to make a beautiful mural for Songbird Serenade's concert.

The image was rather abstract, but with the primary colors of all three words forming a stunning image which didn't have a specific theme, just a wild, beautiful mess of color in perfect synchronization, harmony and joy; just like the Festival itself.

Sadly, some of that paint from the nearby buckets were splattered all over the floor and the already dried up parts of the mural. The three changeling-pony creatures shielded one another as Cookie Cream came running along after the ballon.

"Whoa! Heads up, you guys! Out of control balloooooon!!" Cookie screamed as she ran, quickly followed by Hiro.

"Heads up, guys! Out of control fillyyyy!" Hiro shouted as he ran after the pony, careful not to cause anymore of a mess as she did.

Chrysalis wiped some still wet paint from her nose and chuckled. "That's not the only thing that's out of control, Hiro." she said with a knowing voice, observing the young boy as he ran off after Cookie Cream.

"Aw man! She ruined our mural!" the changeling-pony complained.

Each one carried characteristics of both changelings and ponies. They each had full heads of hair and wings that were pegasus-like in appearance. The feathers that began at the base of the wings were sparkly and solid, while the tips were transparent with the same sparkles. The top all had individual colored outlines. Their tails were all long and graceful looking and had eyes like Chrysalis; pony like with normal pupils, but the Scleras were of various colors instead of white.

The three of them were Fluttershy and Thorax's children. Three-year-old triplet changelings, but they behaved a couples years or so ahead of their age. Most likely a changeling trait among the youth.

The one currently growling in frustration was named Leo, because Fluttershy believed he would grow up to have the strength and heart of a mighty lion and protect his younger siblings. He had a coloring that matched his uncle Pharynx, with a similar personally to boot. His hair was also styled to look like a mow hawk and his eyes were aquamarine with a lighter colored sclera.

The second changeling, another male, gently patted his brother on the back. His hair was yellow green which faded to yellow at the tips. His was styled a bit like his uncle Zephyr's, but he didn't have his lazy personality. The only trait he did share was his more laid-back qualities. His coat coloring was similar to his father's and his eyes were the same plum coloring with a lighter shade on the sclera. He shared the same peace-keeping nature as his father and mother.

"There, there, Leo. Take in calm cleansing breaths. Anger never solves anything."

Leo only groaned, rolling his eyes so far they would have fallen right off his head. "Yeah well, your "zen" talk doesn't always help either, River."

The third one was the only female. Her entire body was pink with faded yellow and her hair was a stunning teal green with lighter shades at the tips and her eyes were a vibrant green. She resembled Fluttershy the most in appearance, but her personality was a mixture of both sides of her parents.

She had her mother's compassionate heart and patience, but also her assertiveness, which came in handy when dealing with her brothers, who could not be any more different if they were night and day incarnate.

Her name was Ivy, which was just as fitting. Ivy rolled her eyes at her brother's bickering--again-- and flew a few feet away to study the mural. Her ears dropped. "We've been working on this all morning! Now we have to start all over!"

"Not quite, Ivy." Chrysalis said, studying the incident herself. Her eyes narrowed intensely, the triplets could practically see the gears in her brain turning at top speed. A mischievous grin formed on her lips and a sparkle manifested in her eyes.

Taking the paint brush into her mouth, and flapping her beautiful transparent shimmering but-like wings, Chrysalis moved with all the grace of a butterfly, but with the speed of a wasp, using all of the outlines from the splattered paint that wasn't originally supposed to be there, picking up every other brush when needed, all without stoping. The triplets simply stood there observing. When Chrysalis was in the zone there was no stoping her.

Once she was done, Chryslais looked immensely satisfied with herself. Placing the paintbrush down on a white rag, she wiped her brows and stepped back a few feet, extending her hoof towards the mural.

"Viola!"

The changeling triplets all stared in awe. Chrysalis managed to perfectly merge the unwanted splits of paint flawlessly into the mural, while adding more details that were small yet really tied the whole thing together.

"Nice touch, Aunt Chrysalis." Leo said.

"A true work from the heart." River said, placing his hoof over his chest. "You can feel the positive aura radiating from every brush stroke."

"You see?" said Chrysalis. "Every mistake deserves a second chance."

"It looks even better than before!" Ivy said, "But, um, you've got some paint on your… everywhere, actually."

Chrysalis looked down at herself, noticing the mess she had turned herself into. Rather than get upset, she laughed. "The mess is all part of the fun."

The three triplets agreed and hugged their Godmare, getting paint on themselves too. Chrysalis was always at her happiest when she was sharing love with others. It was so much more fulfilling than stealing it like she once did. Thanks to the Guardians of Harmony, she was free and she had a beautiful new life and family she wouldn't trade for anything.

The four of them were startled when they heard the sound of something bursting from behind the curtain. Chrysalis peeked in through. "Everything okay back there?"

A human hand, completely covered by a green glove, rose from a large mechanical object. It gave her a thumbs up.

"All good! Just a few kinks, but nothing major." the owner of the hand stood up, revealing herself to be Mai Sato, Bolin and Asami's youngest child and only daughter.

She wore a magenta colored shirt under a short sleeves high color gray-purple vest with crimson outlines. She wore dark gray crimson pants and dark gray boots with light crimson outlines, which were nearly pink. She also wore one of Applejack's old hats, which she had given the young Sato girl when she became the official New Element of Honesty.

Mai whipped her brow as she stood up. Despite her sweat, her raven hair still looked flawless. Beside her was her boyfriend, Lu Ten, great grandson of Lord Zuko and the nephew of President Iroh (who got re-elected). Unlike the rest of his Fire Nation family, he had Water Tribe genes on his father's side and was a waterbender. His blue eyes were beautiful and managed to merge well with his light skin tone and dark hair.

Lu Ten took out a geode stone, which glowed with electrical energy. Carefully, with his hand covered in a thick glove for protection, Lu Ten positioned it into place and closed the heart-shaped lid.

"Okay, geodes in place. Let's give it a try." Lu Ten took his own geode slate in hand and typed the screen, which would command the contraption to do its trick.

Chrysalis and the triplets watched from a safe distance. The older changeling instinctively keeping the kids close behind her as the two engineers worked their magic. The contraption lit up and started to rise, but stopped midway and nearly crashed. Thankfully, nothing was broken, it just shut off.

Lu Ten removed his goggles. "I don't get it. That should work."

Mai opened up the lids one by one. "Did you check every layer?"

"Yeah."

"Twice?"

"Yeah."

"Three times?"

"Yeah."

"Quadruple?"

"Ye--Nnnno." Lu Ten blushed and scratched the back of his neck. "I noticed a few of the gears had come off so I got distracted working on those."

"And that's why you have me." Mai said as she started working on the fourth layer. He reached out her hand. "Screw me."

Chrysalis gasped and covered River's ears. "Mai! Watch that language, we have kids present!"

"I meant an actual screw, Chrysalis."

"Oh… still!"

Lu Ten handed her the screwdriver and Mai finished in literally two seconds. She slapped the lid closed and stepped back. "Try it now."

Lu Ten repeated the process and, this time, the contraption worked flawlessly. The triplets all stared in awe. Mai loved it when ponies did that. It made all of her hard work feel truly magical.

"Babe, you are magic." Lu Ten said.

"You always say that."

"It's true."

Mai giggled and kissed his cheek. "So are you."

The two engineers and changelings came out from behind the curtain. Mai landed on her feet at the bottom, where Nori was using her pearl magic to decorate the stage. The merpony hummed a happy tune as she adjusted the pearl into place, right in the center of the bow.

"Looking good, Nori." Mai complimented. "Of course, it might not get done 'til after the concert." she nodded her head to the rest of the stage's base… which had yet to be decorated. It was nearly noon and with how massive the stage was, and Nori insisting on doing the final decorations, who knows when it would get done.

"Mai, sweetie, anybody can do a "good" job. As head of the decorative committee, we are going for fabulous! And as my mom always says: Fabulous takes time."

"Fabulous takes forever!" Chi said, having floated on by while they were talking. The Apple twins and Eclipse accompanied her. "But someone with supper speed…"

A gust of wind made Nori and Mai's hairs go up in a straight line, following in the direction from which Chi had just sprung towards. She zipped all around the stage, placing the bows and pearls on the sides without thinking much about where they would end up.

In her rush, she made a surprised Hiro spin around on his axis, just when he finally caught Cookie Cream, who had a still un-inflated ballon. The speed from Chi caused it to inflate the ballon a little too much. Cookie still holding onto the string and Hiro holding onto her, now being literally dragged off by the now much larger ballon.

Chi came to a stop, her bangs over her eyes which she styled off and struck a confident pose. "…can get it done in four seconds flat! Faster if I was in my wolf form."

Nori had her jaw dropped in astonishment. Though, not the good kind. The merpony let out a high pitched scream that could easily blow off anyone's ears had she done it even louder. The merpony was a skilled singer, so her vocals range was indeed powerful.

"Aaaah! Nono, oh no! Don't you dare, Chi!" Nori extended her hood, ears pressed back in frustration at seeing the half hazard way the bows and pearls had been placed. The ribbons weren't even tried properly and pearls kept falling off.

"It's like a tsunami just went through here!"

"Oh come on, it's fine!"

"If you were raised in a barn, maybe!" Nori quickly covered her mouth and blushed. "Um, no offense you guys."

Sweet Gala only shrugged it off. "None taken. Especially since we weren't "raised" in a barn. Our family just happens to have a barn. Where we were born." The words sunk in as she continued, "And… spent most of our early childhood...

"Sis, let's face it. We were raised in a barn." Half Pipe said, wrapping his hoof around her in a half hug. "And dog on proud of it!"

"As you should be!" a voice from behind made the twins leap happily.

"Mama!"

Applejack came in pulling a wooden cart with Apple Cider drinks. She was accompanied by her husband, Double Diamond and the rest of the Mane Six. Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, each with their respected husbands. Kombu, Cheese Sandwich, Thorax and Soarin.

Starlight Glimmer, Sunburst, Sunset Shimmer and Nova Nightshade were also present. Rainbow Dash and Soarin's daughter Fire Fly flapped her little wings. She was at least four-years-old and was still lacking her cutie mark, but she had more patience than her mother so she wasn't too bothered by it.

Rarity looked at the stage and fought back the urge to squeal in distraught. "Oh, um, the decorations look… lovely, Nori."

"This 'masterpiece' wasn't me." Nori said, eyes narrowed at a certain wisp who was just about to take a sip of her Apple Cider. Her entire body turned a yellow color in embarrassment.

Rarity affectionately lifted Nori's chin up with her hoof. "Don't fret, my precious pearl." using her magic, Rarity levitated each of the pearls in place and fixed the bows in record time. Her many years of designing have given her a keen eye in which she could flawlessly position something even faster than she could before.

"Wow! Thanks, Mom!" Nori hugged the unicorn, while Kombu ruffled his daughter's mane, accidentally moving her seashell hair clip. Rarity magically put it back in place.

After dating for a while, Nori's mute father Kombu and Rarity finally married. Having lost her mother at a very young age, Nori immediately warmed up to the unicorn as if it were destined they would become a family.

Tragically, Rarity had nearly given up the possibility of having a family one day upon her discovery that she was barren. She could never have fouls of her own, but meeting Nori reminded her that even if she wasn't her biological daughter, that didn't mean they couldn't be the family they had always desired. The waterbending unicorn seemed to fit flawlessly into the family of the widowed merpony father and charming merpony daughter. Rarity had seen many beautiful things in her lifetime, but the love that radiated from her new family was more precious and shinned brighter than any gemstone of pearl found in the deepest ocean.

Asami and Bolin arrived as well, with Asami herself already with a cup of cider in hand. Much like Rainbow Dash, she could never get enough of this stuff.

"Mommy! Daddy!" Little Eclipse galloped ahead to greet his parents. "Aunty Chi did a one eighty with her skateboard! She says she's gonna teach me!"

Nova's eyes widened. "Did she?" he gave his adopted sister a disapproving look.

Chi shrugged it off. "Relax, not until he's older. Wisps's honor." Nova decided to let it slide. After all, a wisp's honor is unbreakable. "Thanks for the help, Rainbow Dash."

"Skies all clear and ready for the festival!" the rainbow haired pegasus said with a salute and then zipped on by to grab more Apple Cider from Applejack.

"This all looks amazing!" Sunset said. "I bet Songbird Serenade's going to love it."

"I still can't believe you kids managed to book her for the festival." Fluttershy said. She now wore her hair in a slightly loosened hair bun, decorated with flowers and a crystal necklace around her neck, reminiscent of the stones changelings wore around their necks. Since her marriage to Thorax, she was now technically the new queen of the changelings.

Nopony would have guessed that the sweet, humble, down-to-earth Fluttershy would one day become an actual Queen. Then again, there was a time where ponies were once terrified of changelings, and now here they were living in harmony, forming friendships and families.

"I hear she's almost impossible to get." Thorax said, while his two sons sat on his back.

"Lucky for us, her agent is Applejack's old camp friend, Countess Coloratura." Mai said, taking two cups of cider. One for her and one for Lu Ten.

"It's gonna be so nice to see her again." said Applejack. "It's been ages."

"So, Mai. How are the stage effects coming along?" Asami asked.

"Lu Ten and I just finished the last piece. Believe me, it's going to blow Songbird's last three concerts out of the water!"

"Ha, ha! That's my girl!" Bolin gave his daughter a massive bear hug. Mai didn't feel even the tiniest bit embarrassed knowing her boyfriend was present. One of the many things they had in common was the fact they both had equally affectionate and embarrassing parents.

While the others were conversing, Iris, Akari and Gallant Steed walked on by. Iris had the list of things on her geo-slate, fingers tracing over the screen, while somehow managing to still be aware of what was in front of her.

"Okay, just two hundred and eighteen things left to do and we're ready."

"Hey, Iris!" the rest of her teenage friends said in greeting.

"Hey, sweetie!" Starlight Glimmer chimed at seeing her son.

Gallant Steed calmly smiled back. "Hey, Mom."

Since it was said that the kids would be in charge of the Day of Harmony Celebration this year, Starlight Glimmer couldn't gush enough about how proud she was. Understandable, seeing as she was a long since reformed villain and her own was now an official Element of Harmony.

"So, how did it go with the others?" Starlight asked eagerly, literally galloping in place and squealing with excitement. "Did they like your presentation? Were you standing straight? You did fix your bangs before, did you?"

"Mom, tone it down, will you?" Gallant practically begged.

"I'm sorry, it's just, I still can't believe my baby boy is in charge of the Friendship Festival! I'm so proud!" Starlight wrapped her hooves around Gallant Steed, squeezing the life of out him.

"Mom… Choking… Not breathing!"

"Honey, don't break him." Sunburst said, gently getting his wife to let go of the boy.

"Seriously, how did it go with Aunt Korra?" Mai asked, enthusiastically slapping her cousin's shoulder. "Did they like your idea?"

"I bet they loved it!" Hiro called out as he came on by--more like dragged by-- across the stage while holding onto Cookie Cream, who was still holding onto the balloon.

Iris rubbed the back of his neck, "Well, not exactly." she turned her eyes down to Akari, who's ears were still dropped. "They think we can make today perfect without their magic."

"And they are absolutely right, darling." Rarity said, standing alongside her aquatic family. "This festival was your idea and we know you kids are up for the task!" As she was speaking, Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich managed to pull Hiro and Cookie back down to earth.

"You sure? There's still a lot to do, and a lot can happen." Akari said. Her normally cool-under pressure persona was quickly wavering.

First, that one guy caused trouble and they had no idea where he went, then the others rejected their idea--which, to be fair, was a pretty tall order anyways--and there was still the rest of festival to think about. If things went just as "smoothly" as her encounter with those political figures and that reporter, there's no telling what else could go wrong.

"What if Songbird Serenade hates the stage?! Or nobody makes a new friend today?! And if we failed the festival, then what does that say about us?!"

Akari was surprised when Pinkie Pie came in and grabbed her face, literally pressing their noses together. "Akari, look at me! This is the biggest, most important assignment you have ever been given! This mission, The Friendship Festival, will define who you are as the Elements of Harmony! Who you are as a Princess of Friendship! The pressure is intense! It's almost too much for any single pony to handle! AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!"

"How is this helping, Pinkie?" Rainbow asked. The pink pony paused and happily hopped away, still smiling.

"My point is, despite all of that, you've got nothing to worry about." Pinkie Pie said, ruffling Cookie's hair. "You kids have each other, and most importantly, you have all of us! Your mentors and family!"

"She's right." Hiro said, standing next to the others. "So stop worrying."

Easier said than done. All the others seemed to be more at ease about this whole thing, even Iris seemed to have things well at hand when meeting with important guests, but Akari… for the first time, she felt really out of her element. If she messed up, then they would all mess up.

Akari's tiara slipped to the side, only to be adjusted by Sunset Shimmer.

Sunset Shimmer:

It's time to show them what you've got

Asami:

It's time to go and get things done

Starlight Glimmer:

But you don't have to do it on your own

Bolin:

'Cause you've got friends right here to make it fun

Bolin, Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich got everyone into a massive group hug, nearly crushing Iris and Akari in the process, but they could still feel all of the love that came with the embrace.

Parents and Guardians:

We got this

Parents:

You got this

Guardians:

We got this together

Rainbow Dash, along with Soarin and Fire Fly, took Chi to the skies. The wisp in turn took Iris's hand, who had dragged Akari alongside her. The rainbow pegasus ad her family bursted through the clouds, allowing in the sunlight.

Rainbow Dash:

Sometimes the pressure gets you down

And the clouds are dark and grey

Just kick them off and let the sun shine through

Chi spun around in mid air alongside Fire Fly, ruffling her mane and more of the Wonderbolts and Airbenders came swooping in, bursting through the clouds, clearing everything around them.

Chi:

And scary as it seems

More help is on the way

'Cause friends have friends that wanna help out, too

Rainbow Dash, Soarin, Chi:

We got this

Fire Fly:

You got this

All:

We got this together

Akari was just about to comment on the one cloud the ponies and airbenders had missed, only to get dragged again by Iris, who in turn was dragged by Chi who led them back down to the festival, while Rainbow Dash and her family got back to work.

Chi went off to return with Rainbow and the other pegasus and airbenders, leaving Iris and Akari to walk across Canterlot, greeting everyone attending the festival. They walked past Zecora and her potion stand, even spotting Bulk Biceps playing a few strong-man games. They also were photo ambushed by Photo Finish. They worried the picture turned out horribly, only to be surprised when they saw that the flamboyant pony somehow managed to make them look… well, fabulous!

Guests:

It's the Festival of Friendship

And we can get it done

A festival that they won't forget

Akari flew by Vinyl Scratch's DJ booth, scratching a record for effect. The white pony smiled and decided to use it for her next song. Iris and Akari flew on, landing nearby Gallant Steed, who was strolling through a petting zoo, hosted by the changelings, petting a few canines and cats along his way, with Akari walking beside him.

Gallant Steed:

A party to be proud of

A day of games and fun

Just you wait and see

A magic day in perfect harmony

Fluttershy, Thorax and their kids were near the birds, who sang along to the music, and Beary the Bear gave Gallant Steed and Akari a massive bear hug, making Iris laugh.

Fluttershy:

You got this

Leo, River and Ivy:

We got this!

Fluttershy, Thorax, Leo, River, Ivy and changelings:

We got this together

Apple Bloom blew a feather off before it landed on her pie. She and more relatives of the Apple Family lined up for Iris, Akari and Mai to inspect the meals for the banquet. The airbenders also had their own meals, with Varrick and his family helping with setting up the tables, lights and even the entertainment, each one with their own geo-slates to keep tabs on everything.

Applejack:

With friends and family, you are never alone

If you need help, we've got your back

Applejack tapped Mai in the back, which accidentally caused her to burp, after having eaten an apple tart, and she accidentally set fire to her own list. She only laughed it off and went back to using her geo-slate. She was more of a tech-gal after all.

Mai then had Sweet Gala taste a large chocolate stew. The little pony cringed. It didn't taste right and proceed to pour more sugar into it. She handed it to Iris, who tasted it. She gave her a great big hug. It tasted perfect!

Mai:

You can be honest

Let your problems be known

Apple family, Airbenders, Sato family:

'Cause you got us

To pick up the slack

We got this

Big Mac, Sugar Belle and Varrick"

"Eeyup!"

Together:

We got this together

Back with the stage, Rarity galloped while levitating heart-shaped gemstones, adorned with strings of pearls hanging from them onto the stage. They had a harmonious blend of purples, blues and greens that reminded her of the ocean. With some golds to add that extra spark.

Rarity:

Pay attention to the details

Every gem even-spaced

Make the colors perfect

Nori:

A symphony of perfect taste!

Nori belted it out. Something she always did when she was happy and proceeded to use her pearls to add the finishing touches to the center piece at the top of the stage.

Inside and out

Beautiful throughout

Rarity and Nori:

Generosity is what we're all about

Using his long tail, Kombu signed; "You got this!"

Rarity:

You got this

Rarity and Nori:

We got this together

Chrysalis flew on by, hanging the decoration in place and flew off, flying alongside other changelings, all of which smiled and happily welcomed her.

Chrysalis:

Left the darkened past behind me

Through the skies, I'm soaring free

I've found the changeling I was meant to be

She landed near her friend, Juniper Moon, hugging her from behind and placing a flower in her hair, while high hoofing various other guests she had come to know. She even poked her head into one of the cutouts of various villains, one of which was her former villain self, but she did so with laughter as Photo Finish shot the image with her camera.

Learning things I never knew

My new friends have helped me through

'Cause of them my journey begins anew!

Chrysalis spun around Kuvira, who was chatting with Adagio, Sonata and Aria. She hugged her roommate/mentor.

Kuvira:

You got this!

Kuvira and Chrysalis

We got this together

From above, Akari and Iris observed each and every one of their friends staying true to their respected Elements. They were so in sync it was like nothing could tear down their spirits. Iris flew right beside her, listening to her friend's concerns.

Akari

Today needs to be perfect

It all comes down to us

I don't know if I'm ready

For all the things they need me to be

Compassionately, Iris led Akari across the river, waving to a few more guests and gazing at their reflections in the surface of the waters. Iris traced her hand over it as they went over a bridge, seeing Tahno and his nephew Akio along with Moondancer, waving their way.

Iris:

We are the Guardians of Friendship

But that is more than just a crown

It's a promise to bring new friends together

Akari and Iris:

We'll make the story our own!

Iris and Akari spun around in perfect sync, their wings rising up along with their hopes. Iris was just as nervous as Akari, but she had faith in her friends, and that was enough for her. Akari knew she should do the same. After all, they were the Elements for a reason. This was their moment to show the world what they could really do.

Pinkie Pie and her family, wearing exercise gear, stirred the cake batter in a giant bowl, using a giant whisk as an exercise bike. Cheese and Cookie were in the zone, as was Pinkie as she sang.

Pinkie Pie:

We've got an awful lot to bake

Each pony needs a piece of cake

Oh, wait!

There's something better you can do

Pinkie spotted Hiro, using his explosion powers to light up Trixie's firework display, creating a dazzling show in the air.

Shortly afterwards, Hiro was standing on a wagon, which was already pilled up with materials as Pinkie Pie pulled on it, tossing materials his way, which Hiro stocked on top the already comedically tall mountain.

Hiro:

We're gonna need some more supplies

To make a really big surprise

They'll be so shocked, they're sure to love it, too!

Putting on some goggles, Hiro and the Pie/Cheese family got to work in building something. Something Hiro was sure would wow everyone.

Pinkie Pie, Cheese Sandwich and Cookie Cream:

You got this!

Hiro:

We got this together!

Pegasus ponies cleared the last of the clouds and confetti and balloons surround the plaza. Ponies, humans and spirits danced and sang together. Iris and her friends stood on top of the stage, all seven of them (eight including Chrysalis), while the older Elements, Asami and Bolin stood at the end of the stage, smiling and singing proudly at their kids.

All:

It's the Festival of Friendship

Together we are one

A day we will never forget

And now everything is ready

So when the day is done

Chi:

The weather

Mai:

The banquet

Nori:

The music

Gallant Steed:

And Magic!

All:

All will be in perfect harmony!

Akari outstretched her wings, really getting into the song, but she was completely unaware of the massive party cannon right behind her. Before anyone could warn her, the cannon shot out confetti and a massive cake of buttercream and pink frosting. The came came shooting faster than a speeding pegasus and was about to make its landing.

And Akari was right in its path.

In the time it took for her to react, a single layer of cake fell on her. Followed by another, then another, and another. Five layers were stacked on top of her creating a massively tall ice cream cake… which quickly dissolved into a large cold blanket of frosting across the plaza. Guests weren't sure if to feel concerned or to laugh, while others stepped back, not wanting to ruin their shoes or clean feet. Even a couple dragons stepped back, though a couple others licked the frosting with their fingers.

Akari's head popped out, dripping with pink frosting, looking on in confusion. Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich were the only ones to call out their daughter's name.

"Cookie Cream Pie!"

"Not the timing we reheard, Sugar-Muffin!" Cheese called out.

Cookie popped her head out from the cannon's opening. "Oopsie! Guess the easy bake confetti cake cannon needs a little bit more fine tuning."

Akari was just about to get off, only to have a candle land on her horn. She blew off the small flame, but her wish didn't come true. She was still drenched in frosting.

The crowd began to murmur and gasp, but not because of Akari's condition, but about the beautiful, buttercream colored pegasus pony that had just arrived, along with two security unicorns, both wearing black suits, headpieces and glasses.

Nori was already trotting in place, her ruby eyes the size of a large pearl. "Oh… my… barracuda! It's Songbird Serenade!"

The pony was exactly as she looked in her posters, with her lemon yellow and midnight colored bangs that covered her eyes and matching tail. She wore a black shirt with yellow buttons and a large pink bow behind her head. Her cutie mark was that of a cloud with rainbow hearts raining down from it.

Beside her was an older looking Coloratura, wearing a beautiful black dress and her mane styled into a side bun with perfect curls gracing the sides of her face.

"Hiya. I'm lookin' for the people in charge?" Songbird Serenade said. Photo Finish swooped in, taking various photos. Songbird, being a profecional, struck various poses like it was the most natural thing in the world. She didn't flinch once.

"I need to set up for my sound check."

"Uh, Songbird Serenade?" Akari walked right out of the cake and cleaned herself off.

"That's us!" Nori swooped in, almost as fast as Chi using her super speed. Her voice was more high pitched than she had expected. "I mean, we're the charges! I mean-in charge! We're the ones in charge! It's such an honor to meet you! I'm Nori Poseidonia." The rest of the Guardians approached her, and Nori introduced them one by one.

"That's Gallant Steed, Hiro and Mai Sato, Chi the wisp, Princess Avatar Iris, and Princess Akari. We're the Guardians of Harmony, and let me just say we couldn't be happier to have you here! We're all big fans of your work."

Even though her eyes were covered, Akari could already feel the pony's gaze staring down at her. Nori herself was looking a bit embarrassed, though she knew it wasn't Akari's fault. "Um, a pleasure, Miss Serenade. Please forgive the mess." Akari laughed nervously as she wiped the frosting off with her hoof. "I'm usually not so…" she stopped when she accidentally wiped the said frosting onto Songbird's shirt.

"Caked in cake?" The pegasus singer laughed good-heartedly. She had done some wild performances in the past, so this was actually kind of adorable. Too bad Akari didn't share the same sentiment.

"You have visual on buttercream?" One of Songbird's pony agents asked his companion through the earpiece… who was standing right next to him.

"Visual confirmed. Go for cleanup." The second agent replied and cleaned the frosting right off. Coloratura rolled her eyes. Some things in show business never change.

"Rara!"

"AJ!"

The two friends hugged, happy to be reunited. Sweet Gala and Half Pipe ran up to greet her. Despite her humiliating introduction to the famous singer, Akari was a little bit more relaxed. At least, with Songbird here, they could continue with finishing up with the festival.

The roar of thunder filled the sky and all eyes looked up.

(~)

The Return of Tempest Shadow

The Return of Tempest Shadow

All thoughts about Akari's cake makeover was forgotten almost in a blink. There was not a single guest who wasn't looking up into the sky, following the unexpected sound of thunder. Why would there be thunder on a perfectly clear sky? Stranger still, it sounded incredibly close. Like, right above their heads close.

A massive cloud of brown and sickly green smoke suddenly formed overhead. Iris stared up in confusion. "Storm clouds? I thought we were supposed to have perfect weather today." she turned to the pegasus pony, hoping she would have an explanation. "Rainbow Dash?"

To Iris's concern, Rainbow looked as if she were staring at an undiscovered species. A species that both confused and frightened her.

"Uh… I don't think those are storm clouds." Rainbow said. She and Soarin each placed a protective hoof over their daughter, who shrunk behind them. This definitely didn't feel like any normal storm cloud. It wasn't natural it was… artificial.

This was proven to be the case when a glowing blue symbol, one they had never seen before, pierced through the thick smoke. The symbol was part of the emblem on the front of a massive airship, as large as the ones Future Industries used, only the underage was wooden like the hull of a boat and the rudders were sharp and angular. Upon closer inspection, the symbol was that of two sharp spikes.

"I've never seen an airship like that before." Asami voiced out, her head nearly tilting back at seeing the massive sky beast. Bolin instinctively placed a hand behind her protectively.

Mai pulled out her geo-slate and rose it up, using the screen to zoom in on the airship, examining its details. "It's definitely not one of ours. I don't recognize the brand."

Hiro shoved himself right beside Mai, much to her annoyance, to get a full view of the airship through the geo-slate's screen. "Oh, wait! I bet those are the trapeze dancers I ordered! Their flyer says they're really big on dramatic entrances."

The ship made its decent onto the large plaza, crushing the tall spires in its way. Guests hurried out of the way to avoid getting crushed by the marble stones that fell and were now spread out across the floor. The Canterlot flags that hung on them had been torn off in the process, left worthlessly on the ground. The pillars landed on a spot with trapezes and a poster of said dancers, smashing it and destroying the entire thing.

Pinkie and Cheese held Cookie close. "Yeah, those are definitely not the trapeze dancers you ordered." said the young filly.

Hiro face palmed himself. "Great! There goes my deposit!"

From the balcony, Korra, Twilight and the others watched the scene unfold. They had never seen an airship like this, and the clouds that had accompanied it had now covered the skies, making it look as if it were about to rain, which was impossible seeing as they could still see traces of clear blue skies far up ahead.

The door of the ship's hull swooshed opened and a large gangway unfurled, smashing a single pink balling dog in the process. It deflated and Party Favor cried out in agony.

"Brian! Nooooo!"

The inside of the ship glowed with an eerie purple aura and the form of something tall started to make its way to the forefront. As it walked further out, they realized the creature wasn't actually that tall. He was some sort of short gray colored hedgehog with spiky white hair and blue eyes wearing a black vest with the blue symbol that the airship bore.

"Mom? What is that thing?" Ivy asked her mother, hiding behind her father's front hooves.

"I think it's a… hedgehog?" Fluttershy said, thought not entirely sure herself. It certainly didn't resemble any hedgehog she had ever seen. He had a chipped ear, was larger by comparison to the actual animal but much shorter than a human, and looked almost happy. A mischievous, un-sympathetic kind of happy.

The hedgehog grunted while carrying a large box. Once he placed it down a tall mechanical megaphone emerged. He tapped on the surface of the microphone and spoke into it, trying to sound as intimidating as possible. A pretty hard thing to accomplish seeing as he was a short and chubby little thing.

"Citizens of Equestria!" His voice echoed as he spoke into the mic, speaking with a lisp. "We come on behalf of the fearsome, the powerful, the almighty…Storm King!"

A massive banner unfolded and draped the side of the airship. The image was that of a frightening looking horned primate-like creature with white hair and icy blue eyes. He bore the same symbol on his chest and more banners baring the same one rolled out on both sides of the poster.

Everyone whispered and murmured amongst themselves. They have never heard of this "Storm King" before, but whoever he was, there was no doubt that he wasn't someone who was looking to make any friends.

Rather than be intimidated, like the hedgehog had expected, he saw numerous humans, ponies, spirits, dragons, griffons and changelings all taking a stand, as if ready to attack him if he tried anything else. The hedgehog gulped. This wasn't the kind of invasion he had in mind. He swallowed his concerns and proceeded with his speech.

"And now--" his voice came out high pitched. He cleared his throat and spoke with more authority, hoping to mask his slip up. He couldn't afford to look like a coward in front of these people. "And now to deliver the evil, evil message, put your hooves and hands together for Commander Tempest!"

Another figure began to take shape within the mist of the ship's opened hull. The sound of clopping hooves against metal got louder with each step and the hedgehog's superior revealed herself.

Needless to say, nobody was expecting to see a sight such as this. The Storm King's commander was, in fact, a striking female pony. Tall, lean and fierce looking. Her magenta red mane was cropped and pulled back to resemble a backwards mow-hawk and her dark purple coat was complimented by the dark, blue and purple armor she wore. The symbol of the Storm King was placed exactly where her cutie mark should be. Her real one no doubt hidden underneath.

Her aquamarine eyes were slender with thick lashes and a single scar went across her right eye. But, as frightening as her presence was, nothing could compare to her horn…

It was broken off!

Tempest could hear the shocked gasps from where she stood, knowing the precise reason for their reaction. Bits of electric blue energy seemed to spark from the jagged edges of her broken horn. No doubt she still had magic, but without her horn there was no way she could perform spells or levitate anything.

"Is that a... unicorn?" Akari asked, staring at Tempest, feeling a mixture of sympathy as well as caution. She definitely did not strike her as a friendly pony.

"I think so, but what happened to her horn?" Gallant asked. "Unicorn horns are nearly impossible to break!"

"What could have happened to her?" Iris asked, her voice barely a whisper.

The children all stepped back when Korra, Twilight, Leilani, Celestia, Luna, Cadance and Flurry Heart all flew down, landing in front of the airship and Tempest, shielding the others. Mako and Shinning Armor rode on Discord's back and both flipped off once they reached the ground, standing alongside their wives, while Discord stood near the alicorn queens. Flash Sentry landed right beside Twilight, both pairs of their wings spread out in intimidation. The rest of the Team Avatar stood beside them, taking fighting positions. The Mane Six each were accompanied by their husbands.

"I don't believe your "Storm King" is on the guest list." Korra said, her voice as powerful as her presence.

Tempest's mouth formed into a malicious, yet relaxed looking grin. "Well, look who it is. The fearless protectors. It's been a long time, and yet, you never really seem to change."

"Do we know you?" Applejack said, stomping her hoof threateningly, ready to bend the earth and hurl a rock once the opportunity presented itself.

"Come on now, I don't look that old, do I?" Her smile shifted into a subtle scowl once her aquamarine eyes landed on the human royal couple. "Don't I strike you as familiar, "King" Mako?"

Iris looked at her father in confusion. "Dad?"

Mako narrowed his eyes, but the longer he stared at the unicorn the more his expression morphed from intense focus to genuine shock.

"Tempest?"

Korra's eyes widened as the memory flashed before her eyes. "Tempest Shadow?!"

The broken horned unicorn chuckled. "Oh, so you do remember me." she gave a light laugh, only to revert back to her scowl. "You should!"

Rainbow Dash blinked. "Wait! You used to be the leader of the Shadow Triad! But, you disappeared years ago!"

"I don't remember her horn being broken." Flash Sentry said.

"What happened to you?" Korra asked. Her once authoritative tone morphing into one of genuine concern.

"Why don't you ask you BFF?" Tempest's eyes landed on Twilight Sparkle herself.

Akari's bright blue eyes widened. "Mom? Did you--?"

"No! I wouldn't-- I have never…wait…" Twilight's eyes widened and her irises shrunk as it all came back to her. ", that night… the ambush." She could see it all while gazing into Tempest's vengeful eyes which, for a moment, fell upon Akari.

Twilight quickly shoved herself in front of her daughter, shielding her from Tempest. Her anger manifesting in the form of the magenta colored flamed already manifested on her horn and the tips of her wings. The alicorn queen looked like a ferocious lioness ready to pounce without mercy.

"You leave my daughter out of this!"

"Don't flatter yourself, Your Majesty. It's not just your family I'm after."

Korra stepped forward, trying to reason with the unicorn. Mako didn't try to stop her. They remembered her, they remembered her story. They couldn't let her slip away again.

"Tempest, please. I know there's a peaceful way we can settle all of this." Korra said, her voice compassionate but strong all the same.

"Save it, Avatar!" Tempest spatted, saying the name in disgust. "I'm not here to reconcile!"

"What do you want with us, lady?" Mai asked, standing confidently alongside her parents. Hiro placed a protective hand on her arm, gently pulling her back.

Tempest's smile returned, "Oh, I'm so glad you asked, dear. How about we start with your complete and total surrender!" Tempest walked down the gangway, her dark blue metallic horse shoes making clanging sounds as they hit against the metal the further walked down, all with graceful confidence.

"Here's the deal, Your Majesties. I need your magic. Give it up nicely, please, or we make it difficult. For everyone!"

"And why should we cower before you?" Queen Luna said, stepping forward. "There is one of you and hundreds of us!"

Right behind the rulers and Team Avatar, a grand number of humans, spirits and ponies all puffed up their chests, ready to fight. A few parents shielded their kids and or spouses or the elderly. The police force was already in position, accompanied by the WonderBolts and the airbenders.

Rohan, along with his older siblings and little nephews and nieces took front and center. Lin, Suyin and the rest of their family from Zaofu were also in position, even Baatar Jr., who protected a woman, who had been his wife for several years now. Even Aiwei, despite his old age, stood firmly alongside his spider-scorpion companion.

Dragon Lord Ember, King Thorax and Gilda all stood alongside their respected races. Fluttershy had her wings spread out, as did her children, ready to fight. The Apple Family were in position and Asami had already pulled her electric glove out. Several more of her Future Industries employers all carried gloves of their own, in case of an emergency, and this one definitely qualified as one.

Korra's parents, Mako and Bolin's family, the Mane Six's families, even the former Prince Wu took a flying pan from a nearby stand and swung it a few times, ready to hit somebody. Wan Shi Tong spread his wings wide, his neck outstretching to appear all the more monstrous. Spike, Ali, Mika and San stood alongside Korra and Twilight. Spike was already flaring his nostrils, while his girlfriend Mika hissed, a fork tongue sticking out and slithering like a snake in mid air.

Everybody who shared a close connection with Team Avatar Harmony was ready to fight. After all, what more damage could one hornless unicorn and a chubby hedgehog really do?

As for this Storm King character, they went up against the spirit of darkness himself, not to mention Ronin and Chrysalis before her reformation. Whatever he would throw at them, they had the numbers, they had the means, they could face him.

Tempest, on the other hand, didn't look at all threatened by their impeccable bravery. If anything, she chuckled in amusement.

"I was hoping you'd choose… "difficult".

Behind Tempest, a couple of large, hulking looking creatures emerged from the inside of the ship. They were as tall as P'Li herself, maybe a head or two higher. They wore black masks that covered their faces save for their blue eyes. They wore thick, black armor that only partly covered their furry white and gray bodies. They had large paws, canine-like legs and long tails that whipped around from behind them.

Two more airships appeared, followed by more. And more, and more, and more to the point in which not a single trace of sunlight, or even the blue of the once beautifully clear sky could be seen for miles and miles. Their once beautiful, colorful festival had turned dark and gray in a matter of seconds. President Iroh placed a protective hand on Lu Ten's shoulder. The young man could feel his uncle's hand trembling.

"It's a nation sized army!" Iroh said, his voice trembling as well, droplets of sweat dripping from his brow. "How is that possible?"

"Doesn't matter." Queen Luna said, "We have armies of our own."

"Warriors, get ready! Children and elderly, take for cover!" Celestia boomed. The others obeyed her orders and got into position while others helped the ones who couldn't fight to move to a safer location.

From the airships, more of the hairy masked creatures jumped down and landed onto the plaza with crushing force. Several guests were already screaming in terror and running for their lives, while the fighters remained to defend the city.

Several airbenders and spirits tried to lead the defenseless guests away, including the world leaders, but the creatures keep on landing on them faster than they could blink. In a matter of minutes, they had half of the city surrounded, smashing all of the once beautiful decorations and games of the Festival, while more and more guests ran for their lives. It was complete chaos, but not the kind Discord would have enjoyed.

The pegasus ponies and spirits aimed at the creatures, ready to fight, unleashing their bending and unique spirit powers, but they weren't prepared for what came next.

The Storm Creatures all pulled from their belts black glowing orbs with electrical currents coursing through the surface and tossed them at their incoming attackers. The pegasus ponies attempted to block the attacks with their airbending, only their attacks had little to no effect. None at all, in fact.

The orbs flew right through their attacks as if they were none existent, heading directly at the pegasus ponies as if the orbs had minds of their own. Upon close contact, orbs expanded. In a flash, they trapped the ponies and spirits in electrical cages before landing hard on the ground where they manifested into thick cages that was a perfect blend of some kind of otherworldly metal and rock.

Airbenders ponies tried using their bending, but just like with the pegasus ponies, their powers did nothing. Royal guards and even Naga, Akhlut and Timber charged at the storm creatures, but the orbs quickly expended upon close contact. Even for those who didn't have powers, the creatures had precise aiming and could trap the defenseless guests with ease. The guards and the three canines whimpered upon imprisonment.

The objects appeared to activate upon close proximity, and there were thousands of the creatures swarming the city as even more airships came over, knocking down pillars of the castle, the roofs of houses and the creatures smashed through the streets, destroying everything in sight. Their shields blocked the attacks of the heroes, and while they were distracted with one, it gave another creature the opportunity to throw an orb and trap them.

The process repeated itself, with each of the creatures trapping every magically powered citizen in their stone cages. The energy around them were unlike anything they had ever felt. Eska, Desna and Tonraq were immediately subdued, trapped inside a cage that prevented them from bending the water. Whenever they tried, the cage would sent out electrical currents that knocked them out the harder they fought, their bodies feeling heavier than ever.

Wan Shi Tong and Goldie the dragon bird swooped down, claws at the ready, but they too had met the same fate as their comrades. The orbs acted fast and without warning and any magical attacks they had were rendered useless. It was as if their very powers called the orbs towards them, like a moth to a flame.

Dragons, Griffins and changelings were knocked down from the sky, metalbenders and firebenders fought to break free, but like Korra's family, they were knocked out the harder they fought. Mai was even forced to see Iroh and Lu Ten, both fighting side by side with their fire and water, get beaten and trapped. Mai wanted to go and help, but was pulled back by her brother. If she did anything, she would get trapped too.

Team Avatar watched helplessly as each of their friends and family got defeated one by one with such ease. Chrysalis stared with a horrified look. These rocks, she knew she had seen them from somewhere before. She noticed that no matter how hard the heroes fought, their magic only made the orbs come directly towards them, as if it was… feeding off of their magic.

"Surprised?" Tempest voiced, getting their attention. "Just a little something I found and improved during my exile. Got some inspiration from your old friend, Amon. Of course, I'm not here to rid the world of magic. If anything, it will only bring me back what you took from me!"

Tempest jumped up, her horn emitting lethal looking sparks of magic. A green stone, wrapped inside a see-through black orb emerged from her pocket. She kicked it in mid air and it was aiming directly for Celestia and Luna.

Discord jumped in between the orb and the alicorn sisters, creating a shield to protect them. Just when he was about to pat himself on the back, he realized something was horribly wrong. This energy felt familiar… too familiar.

His red pupils became slits as he fought the force of the orb, but the harder he fought the more it tried to reach him. The orb broke through the shield, striking Discord in the chest, where a thick layer of black crystalized stone began to grow and rapidly engulf his entire body.

"Discord!" Fluttershy, Thorax and Starlight all screamed his name, seeing their comrade turning into stone once again.

Discord grunted struggling to break free of its hold. "I can't... stop it!" The spell was reaching his neck and he shouted his final words of warning. "It sucks up magic! Run! RUN!" Discord was silenced when the last of the stone covered his afce, freezing him in a state of terror and regret.

Fluttershy was on the verge of tears. Discord had been turned to stone again, and not because of his evil actions, but in trying to save everyone. Team Avatar wanted to fight, but for once, their magic was becoming their undoing. They couldn't fight like this. They needed a different plan.

Leilani, desperately turned to her two daughters. "Celestia, Luna, quick! Go south beyond the Badlands! Seek help from the Queen of the Hippo—" Leilani gasped and used her magic to blast everyone around her out of the way as another green stone came at them.

Korra and Mako were thrown back, but they held onto Iris. Twilight and Flash held onto Akari as they were pushed back. Kombu bravely held both his wife and daughter, while Applejack and Double Diamond kept their children away from the blast. They all watched in horror as the oldest alicorn took the hit, her entire body turning to stone in the blink of an eye.

"MOTHER!!" Celestia and Luna felt grief and rage overfill them as the tears shed.

"NO!" Korra was already shedding tears as well, seeing her mentor literally petrified.

"We must go!" Celestia ordered. "We can't waste anymore time!"

"We can't just leave everyone!" Cadance protested.

"Look out!" Shinning Armor knocked both his wife and daughter out of the way just as another green stone came at him. Just like Leilani, he was turned to stone on the spot.

"Dad!"

"Shinning Armor!"

"Everybody, this way!" Rainbow Dash led the way and the others followed. Mako gripped Iris's wrist, dragging her along with him and Korra. The Seven Elements of Harmony and the rest ran for their lives. They hated running, but they had no other choice.

"What are those things?!" Nori asked as she galloped alongside her father and Rarity.

"I think I might know!" Chrysalis said, "They're made of the same material as my old throne! It feeds on the nearest magical energy and traps it!"

"And Canterlot is filled with nothing but magical energy!" Starlight Glimmer said horrified. "The more we fight back, the more those cages stick onto us like magnets!"

"So, magic won't help us now! Fantastic!" Flurry Heart said with a sarcastic and irritable grunt. They needed to reach the Badlands to find this queen Leilani spoke of, and they had to do it without using their magic or risk getting captured as well.

They were blocked by more goons, which managed to trap Bolin and Asami in an orb as they ran. The two parents blocked their children, taking the hit themselves. It rolled around like a ball before stopping and materializing into these stone cage. The two were already knocked out.

"Bolin!"

"Asami!"

Mako and Korra cried out, both held back by Celestia and Luna. Flurry Heart and Cadance stepped forward, blocking the others from the rest of the creatures that surrounded them. "Keep going!" Flurry Heart ordered. "We'll hold them off!"

"But, Flurry--" Akari protested, only to be silenced by her cousin's insistence.

"GO!"

Akari was forced to comply and galloped ahead alongside her parents. She looked over her shoulder and saw her aunt and cousin fighting the creatures, only for Tempest to come rising up into the air and kicking another stone.

"NO!" Akari cried, witnessing her family turning to stone before her eyes. Twilight didn't feel right leaving them, but they didn't have a choice.

"We can't keep this up!" Nova cried out, galloping alongside Sunset and Eclipse. "There's too many of them!"

Just as he said, another orb came at him and his family, trapping them in cages. "No!" Chi cried out. Little Eclipse tried reaching out for his aunt, but to no avail.

"Keep going, Chi!" Sunset cried out. Chi was dragged away by Rainbow Dash. The rainbow haired pegasus couldn't bare to look at them like this. She fought back the tears, which was more than could be said for Chi, who's vision was already becoming blurry.

Celestia and Luna flew up, blasting the creatures in their wake, but it didn't take long for them to also get petrified in mid air. Korra and Twilight each used their magic to save their fellow queens from falling and breaking to pieces. They were aware of the risk, but they couldn't allow their fellow alicorns to perish. The two struggled to keep them steady, the rock being heavier than anything they had ever felt.

The rest of the Mane Six saw Tempest about to send another stone at their friends. Acting on impulse, they all ran up and shielded their friends.

"Korra!"

"Twilight!"

The two alicorns shielded their eyes as the stone hit, only rather than strike only the Mane Six, it took all of them at once. Double Diamond, Sweet Gala, Half Pipe, Cheese Sandwich, Cookie Cream, Soarin, Fire Fly, Kombu, Nori, Thorax, Leo, River, Ivy, Flash Sentry, Akari, Mako, Ali, Mika, San and Iris all watched with blurry, tearful eyes at seeing the now petrified bodies of their wives and mothers. Iris and Akari felt a pang of guilt pressing hard against their chests.

The goons took this opportunity to trap each of the families in cages, save for Nori and Kombu, who jumped out of the way in the nick of time. Kombu then harshly pushed his daughter away. She rolled onto the ground, grunting in pain and got up only to see her father already caged. Each of the Mane Six's families were trapped.

Spike, Ali, Mika and San tried to fight them off, by the orbs trapped them as well. Starlight Glimmer and Sunburst pushed Gallant Steed out of the way before he got caged as well.

"Keep going, Gallant!" Sunburst shouted. His son reluctantly complied.

Tempest kicked one last stone, aiming them at Iris and Akari, who ran alongside their friends and respected fathers. They were the only ones left who hadn't been caged, and all because of their parents's and friends intervening. No doubt they were doing this to keep the Elements of Harmony safe. The future of their homeland was more important than their own well being.

This was proven even further when Iris and Akari saw another one of the incoming green orbs and froze, knowing they couldn't do anything to stop it. The rock came at them with incredible speed, but the spell never took effect for they had been pushed back by some kind of electrical current, which sent all the other kids flying off, a good ten feet away. It was a powerful lightning move which only Iris's father had managed to master over the years.

"Dad!" Iris and Akari called out, knowing full well what their fathers had done. They watched the two give their daughters one final smile before succumbing to their fate. A green mist blocked their view before witnessing the last bit of stone reach their faces.

Mai and Chrysalis helped Iris and Akari back to their feet and they ran towards the bridge. Their only last means of escape. Their tiaras were left carelessly on the cobblestone floor.

Once the smoke had cleared, Tempest Shadow stood proudly, seeing the silhouettes of a human and winged pony. She chuckled. "Easy as pie."

"Oh, I love pie." said the hedgehog standing beside her, sighing dreamingly at the thought of the delicious pastry. "Oh, you totally got the last princesses!" he said once the smoke cleared, then scratched his chin, studying the now stoned statues. "Uh, they're a lot taller than I thought. And… manlier looking?"

Tempest's rage flared. Rather than a teenager winged girl and alicorn, all she got was a grown man and a stallion pegasus, standing still, with smiles staring at her that read 'you're too late'.

"Those aren't the Princesses!" Tempest growled, her broken horn flaring and then sharply turned to the hedgehog, "Grubber, get them. Now!"

The hedgehog, Grubber, complied and ran off to call to the other goons. "Guys, we gotta get the Princesses!"

Tempest flared her nostrils as she approached the statue of Mako and Flash Sentry. "Smile all you want, your Majesties. You won't get the better of me again."

The last thing she felt were the remaining shards of a fire-based tiara, crushed underneath her hoof.

(~)

"We're almost there!" Mai exclaimed as they reached the near end of the bridge, only to get blocked by another storm creature. The kids were absolutely terrified. Even with their powers, how would they be able to block their orbs?

When the goon reached for his belt, he realized he was entirely out. It would appear Fate was smiling upon them today.

Without thinking about the consequences, and her anger taking hold, Iris spread open her wings and unleashed a powerful stream of lightning from her fingertips at the goon. The creature pulled out a shield which completely repelled her attack and it came back to strike at the bridge.

The surface started to crumble beneath their feet and the kids were thrown down into the rapid waterfall, struggling to stay above the surface as they were pushed forward. Even Nori couldn't fight a current this powerful. When she was completely submerged in the water, Iris noticed something strange.

The waters around her started to change colors with fading sparkles that blended with the bubbles. There was a magical force going on, but before she could comprehend what it was she and her friends fell downwards. The last thing that was heard were the fading screams of the children as they went down the waters bellow, disappearing into the mist.

Grubber and the rest of the troopers looked down, a soft wind picking up. The running waters were loud and powerful, and the way down was extremely long. He couldn't see a trace of them anywhere, but he couldn't disappoint Tempest… again.

"Which one of you guys are going down there?" Grubber asked. The two creatures growls in unison. No doubt it would translate to "not me".

Grubber sighed. "I would, but I just had a hearty meal, and I will sink and I will side-cramp. I'm very big-boned. I sink quick." he said as he and the other two creatures left the side of the waterfall.

How was he going to explain this to Tempest now?

(~)

Speaking of Tempest, she had already made herself at home at the castle balcony, taking in all the chaos going on bellow her. Her eyes scanned the area, as if hoping to see any trace of… Him.

Tempest quickly shook her head and narrowed her eyes. "You made your choice a long time ago, old friend. This is what you get for your betrayal."

(~)

A Mysterious New Friend

A Mysterious New Friend

Applejack's old hat floated along the tranquil river, only to be grabbed by Mai. She rinsed it as best as she could before putting it back onto her head. Her hair and cloths still partly wet from the waterfall. The young firebender stared at her reflection in the waters, recalling the scene where her parents, friends and boyfriend had been captured and she couldn't do anything to stop it.

Iris appeared in the waters, looking equally distraught. The two cousins hugged it out, with Mai releasing a few silent tears that stained Iris's red scarf, which she didn't mind. Mai was allowed to cry as much as anyone.

Mai wiped her tears and smiled in gratitude at Iris's support. The two walked back to a large arched tree trunk where the rest of the guardians had taken shelter under. Their cloths now partly dry, but none of them were in the best shape emotion wise.

Gallant Steed shook his entire body dry, his bangs still damped over his forehead, while Chrysalis adjusted Nori's bangs in a sisterly manner and turned to everyone else.

"Everybody okay?" The changing asked compassionately.

"I think my scales are on backwards." Nori said, feeling delirious. She had been in water her entire life, but she lived in the ocean. They usually had a very limited supply of rapid waterfalls.

"We just got our flanks handed to us by the worst party crasher in the history of party crashers!" Hiro exclaimed. Wet strands of black hair hung over his forehead. "Our Friendship Festival is now a battlefield!"

"Forget the Festival! We gotta go back there and fight!" Chi said, clenching her fists, ready to take down the monsters who imprisoned her family.

Gallant Steed stepped in, being the voice of reason. "Chi, I want to stop them just as much as you do, but they're a nation sized army! Plus, you heard Chrysalis. Those orb things suck on magic, and you saw what they did to the Alicorns and our parents."

"There has to be a way to break those rocks's hold." Mai suggested, turning to the changeling. "Chrysalis, you know about that kind of magic better than any of us. How can we stop it?"

"I…" Chrysalis looked downcast. "I don't know! I don't even know where the stone came from. I just stumbled upon it one day and carved my throne from it. Not to mention, there was something different about those rocks. I mean, it's the same power for sure, but it appears to have been modified somehow. Only a highly skilled alchemist could tamper with the magic of an ancient dark stone like that."

"So, we've got nothing!" Chi said, waving her hands into the air in frustration.

"We need to think of a plan." Gallant said, "And fast."

"We already have one." Akari said, alerting everyone. The alicorn had been staring at her reflection in the waters the entire time, thinking about the sacrifice her parents had done for them. Her voice was more stoic than it normally was, and when that happened it meant Akari was ready for business.

"The Queen."

Hiro face palmed himself, "Oh, yeah! The Queen! Uh, what queen was that again?"

"Leilani told Celestia and Luna to find the Queen of the... "Hippos"." Akari explained, arching an eyebrow at the last word. "Our parents can't. So it's up to us now."

"Uh, hippos? Seriously?" Mai said with a deadpan tone.

"I've heard they're surprisingly graceful for their size." Nori said, "Huh, but they're always hungry."

"Hungry?" Hiro asked.

"Hippos?" Gallant asked, arching an eyebrow while tilting his head.

"They're somewhere south. Past the Badlands." Iris said.

"Then it's not The Hippos you're looking for."

The Guardians all gasped and got into their defensive stances. They had just fallen from a waterfall, and had to see everyone they love get captured by monsters and a mad hornless unicorn. They were not in the mood for anymore surprised.

"Who's there?" Iris demanded to know. Something about that voice sounded.. familiar.

"Aww, forgot about me already, your highness? Ouch!"

The kids all stepped back, startled when some guy suddenly came leaping down from a nearby tree, landing in a four point position without breaking a sweat. He straightened himself, dusting his already ragged old clothes. He was also barefoot, the sandy getting in between his toes.

"And here I thought I had given you a memorable introduction."

Iris's eyes narrowed and the star on her forehead started sparking magic. "You again?!"

Akari's horn glowed as well and she charged at the boy, who slid to the side with ease. Akari landed opposite Hozu, her hooves getting wet in the process. She flared her nostrils, ears pressed hard against her head and wings spread out in an intimidating fashion. She charged again, but the boy nimbly dodged her attempts.

Hozu didn't estimate that Iris was right behind him. She stuck out her leg and caused him to trip, giving Akari free range to land on top his chest, pinning him to the ground. The alicorn snarled, her horn releasing sparks of intense magic, akin to the way Tempest's broken horn did.

"What are you doing here?" Akari demanded to know, "Are you aligned with the Storm King? What's he planning to do with our parents?"

Hozu rose his hand up in surrender, feeling the pony's strong hooves pressing down on his chest. "Whoa, whoa, easy, I like keeping these cloths only casually ragged. Your hooves are tearing up the cloth."

Akari ignored him and stomped her hoof on his chest, knocking the wind out of him. "Talk! What do you know about the The Queen of the Hippos?"

"It's not Hippos. It's Hippogriffs." Hozu said, his voice a bit raspy.

"What are you talking about?" Iris asked, the rest of her friends rallying behind her, all staring down at the stranger.

"You said they're beyond the Badlands, right? That's where they supposedly live."

"How do we know you're not lying?" Mai asked, already pounding her fists threateningly. "On that note, how do you two know him?" she asked Iris and Akari.

"We saw him at the festival earlier today. He was stealing from the stands." Iris said, eyes still burning with anger Hozu could feel the fire literally piercing his skin. Though, he will admit, her eyes did have a lovely shade of violet and she had the most adorable pout when she was furious.

"I don't think he is lying." Gallant Steed said, more calmly as he pondered on the name. "I've heard about them once too. There aren't that many records on Hippogriffs since they live in a land beyond the borders of Equestria."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold up! There's a place beyond Equestria?" Hiro said in disbelief. "I always though this entire realm was Equestria. Like, everything!" He outstretched his arms to prove his point.

"It is a rather large country." Chrysalis said. "It's easy to come to that conclusion."

"Right, what the bug girl said." Hozu pointed his thumb to Chrysalis, who hissed in responce. Despite being a reformed changeling, Chrysalis could still growl and hiss just as fiercely as she could when she was a dark one. Same went for all changelings. They may be a more peaceful race, but they weren't defenseless.

Gallant Steed ignored Hozu and continued. "As I was saying. Hippogriffs are these rare creatures that are half pony, half eagle. Even though they aren't that well known, there are still a few legends that haven't been lost. My grandpa said that, from what little information he managed to uncover, Hippogriffs are a reclusive race. So much so that even finding the feather of one is incredibly rare. But, nobody has ever seen one in thousands of years. Many ponies believed they either went extinct or never existed."

Akari sneered, looming in closer at Hozu's face. "Then how did you find out about them?" she asked. Judging by his clothes, Hozu didn't strike her as the type to be found in a library doing research.

"I've been around. I've heard stories. Like your friend said, there isn't much about them. All I know is that they live south. Where exactly, I have no idea. Now, uh, would you be so kind, Princess, as to remove your hooves from my chest before you crack my ribcage?"

"Not yet." Akari said pressing her hoof harder on his chest, making Hozu groan impatiently. "How did you find us anyway? And how come you weren't captured like the others?"

"Lucky, I guess. When "One Horned Wonder" showed up I high tailed it out of there the chance I got. Barely escaped with my life."

"I don't trust him." Mai said, arms still folded over her chest. "He could be working for Tempest."

"Then why isn't he wearing those tacky uniforms?" Nori asked, gesturing at Hozu, his back still on the sand with Akari on top of him.

Iris narrowed her eyes, focusing intensely upon Hozu. She approached him and turned to her alicorn friend. "Akari, get off of him. I want to try something."

Akari complied, but not without flicking her tail at Hozu's face so hard it left a literal mark on his cheek. Hozu got back up and Iris stood right in front of him. She didn't say a word and placed her two index fingers over his heart, searching his eyes.

Hozu stared at the princess in confusion but dared not question her methods. The intense look in her eyes made his mouth run dry and his words nonexistent. He could feel her searching every inch of his soul by staring directly into his eyes. His cool and collected exterior melted away.

After a few moment, Iris removed her fingers. "He's not lying." she finally said.

Everyone else was silent and Hozu saw this as is chance to make a graceful exit. "Okay, so good luck in getting back your kingdom." His cocky grin returned and he casually slid by Iris. He didn't notice her eyes at his feet. Iris saw how his ankles were hardly touching the sand, as if they were levitating or gliding. Her defensive instincts kicked into maximum overdrive.

"So sorry I couldn't be of much helped, but I've got places to go, stuff to see, you know how it--Whoa!"

Before he could go any farther, Hozu suddenly felt a powerful energy wrap around his waist and yank him tightly. He landed hard on his bottom. How many times was he supposed to get thrown down today?

He looked up and saw that Iris had created a magical lasso, neon blue, and had it wrapped around his waist. Subtle hints of blush creeped up on his cheeks.

"Hey, hey, Princess, take it easy, we have an audience."

Mai, Chrysalis and Nori shuddered in disgust while Iris only gripped the lasso tighter. "I believe you when you say that you're not aligned with the Storm King. But I don't believe you don't know anything else."

"I already said I don't know exactly where the hippogriffs are, only that they're south, beyond Equestria. End of story."

Iris arched an eyebrow. She wasn't buying it. Without blinking, she sent a wave of electrical currents through the lasso, which in turn electrocuted Hozu. His cloths and body were intact, but that sting was incredibly annoying.

"What the heck?!"

"A little something of my own design. A simple convergence spell of alicorn magic and lighting bending."

Mai smiled with pride for her cousin. "Nice!" she gave her a fist pump.

Hozu was far from impressed. "Cute trick. But seriously, what more do you--GAH!" Hozu screamed in pain when another wave of electricity went through his body. "Would you stop that!?"

"I will, once you tell us where we can find the hippogriffs."

"I already told you. I. Don't--OUCH!!" Hozu felt an even stronger wave this time. He panted once it was over. "Okay, okay, I give! I may not know exactly where to find them, but I think I know of a place where you might find a clue or something."

"Where?"

"A place called Klugetown. I've spent a few months there. It's a black market where they sell all kinds of junk, stuff I've never even seen in Equestria. I can't guarantee it, but if you want to find something that can tell you exactly where to find the hippogriffs, that's your best bet right now." Hozu rose his hands in surrender, "Again, a long shot, but that's all I have."

Iris and her friends looked at one another, silently pondering on whether or not to believe him. They all turned their heads, seeing their beloved home overtaken by thick clouds that almost made it impossible to see the once beautifully colorful kingdom of Canterlot.

The images of their parents either being caged or stoned alive flashed before their eyes. It was heartbreaking to see their family, the people and ponies they looked up to for wisdom and guidance, be subdued in such a cruel way.

Akari felt as if her heart hung from her chest. This was their family's day of celebration. Her chance to prove to her mother, and to herself, that she can take royal responsibilities just as seriously as she could a Friendship Problem from the Cutie Map, or fighting an evil monster. Her mother, her entire family, entrusted this responsibility on her. She knew she would need to grow up at some point. And that time was now.

"So, we're really doing this?" Chrysalis asked, her voice sounded serious and frightened. "We're… actually leaving Equestria."

"I'm not even packed!" Nori exclaimed. The very idea of leaving their homeland into uncharted territory terrified her as much as it did everyone else.

Iris took in a deep breath. "I know it's scary, and this is beyond anything we have ever done. But we have to find this queen. She might be our only hope."

Chi surprised Iris by wrapping her arm around her shoulders. "Hey, don't sound so bummed out, girl! We're in this together."

Mai then wrapped her arm around Chi's shoulders, smiling and nodding in agreement. "We got your back."

Hiro pounded his fists into the air, "Guardians of Harmony to the rescue!"

"I'm ready to save Equestria!" Nori cheered, "Again!"

"Let's do it!" Chrysalis did a few air ships, her sparkling insect wings shimmering like diamonds in the dim sunlight.

Gallant Steed wrapped his hoof around Akari's, making her smile in relief. Of course neither she nor Iris would have to go on this journey alone. As long as they stuck together, there was nothing they couldn't handle. They were the Guardians of Harmony, the sons, daughters and apprentices of heroes that united the worlds. They got this!

Hozu stood by, watching the heartwarming scene play out. He kept his arms crossed over his chest, but listened to their conversation with subtle interest. He cleared his throat and ran his fingers through his white colored hair. "Yeah, that's all really sweet and all, so if you would be so kind as to untie me--"

"Not so fast." Iris said, gripping the rope tightly in her hand.

"Well, I'd go even faster if you'd let me go."

"Oh, believe me, I'd be more than happy to. But you're the only one who knows where Klugetown is."

Hozu's eyes widened. "I don't like where this is going."

"You take us there, and after we find what we're looking for, then we'll let you go. I'll even forget about the whole Festival thing."

"Ha! Forget it! I'm not some tour guide. Find some other--Whoa!" In the time it took him to blink, Hozu was pressed against the side of a tree by Iris, using only one hand. He blinked, unsure if to feel intimidated or… impressed.

"Listen, pretty boy!"

Intimidated. Definitely intimidated.

"I don't like this arrangement anymore than you do. But in case you didn't realize, our home is under siege right now, and if this Storm King's goons were able to conquer Canterlot in thirty minutes, I don't even want to imagine what they will do to the rest of Equestria, the Four Nations or the Spirit World! So here's how it's going to go down. You either help us get to this town, or…" The light from the rope intensified as Iris held it up close to his face. "I keep zapping you until your brain pops out. Take it or leave it."

The other Guardians didn't flinch at seeing Iris bringing down the hammer. She had grown more and more fierce as time went on, and there was no penetrating her poker face when lives were at stake.

While Iris did a perfectly good job at keeping her cool, she did notice that Hozu's eyes were of a warm shade of brown that reminded her of caramel. And, despite his ragged clothing, he did look naturally fit. Still rather slim, but healthy enough that he could handle himself in a fight if he wanted to.

She quickly pushed these thoughts aside, the electrical currents around her rope growing even stronger, which made Hozu gulp. "So, if I take you to Klugetown, you let me go? No catch?"

"I promise. And when I promise something, I never, ever break that promise." She saw the suspicion in his eyes. "Ever!"

"It's true, she never does." Hiro said, poking his head in between the two.

Hozu groaned. "Alright, fine! I'll take you to Klugetown. But after that, I'm disappearing."

"Fine by me." Iris stepped back and Hozu took the lead.

"I should warn you though, it's not exactly a place for a bunch of rich city kids."

The other Elements all scoffed in offense. "Hey! We "city kids" can handle ourselves just fine, thank you very much!" Nori said, sticking her nose in the air in a very Rarity-like fashion.

"Uh, south, Nori?" Gallant Steed pointed in the opposite direction as to where Nori was heading.

"I knew that!" Nori said, still with her nose in the air as she switched directions.

"Right this way, Guardians of Harmony." Hozu took the lead, only to stop midway when he felt the tightness of the rope around his waist. He stared at Iris in annoyance. "You're not gonna let go of that rope, are you?"

"I'm not taking any chances." Iris replied confidently.

"Of course, should have seen it coming. Princess Avatar, playing by the rules."

Hiro leaned in closer to Iris and whispered. "Wow. This guy's got you pegged pretty good."

A low growl was heard from her throat and Hiro smiled nervously before zipping away. The team started off on their journey, with Hozu as their, very reluctant, guide.

"Hey, anybody up for a game of "I Spy"?" Hiro asked. The rest of the team groaned. "No, really! Come on, I spy with my little eye something that is pink. No takers? It's you, Akari!"

(~)

The path that led towards the borders of Equestria were longer than they expected. After all, the country was incredibly vast, it was difficult to even imagine there was more beyond it.

Iris and Akari recalled the stories of Scorpan and his brother Tirek, the latter who once tried to steal the magic from all before their mothers vanquished him. They followed Hozu's directions, going through a large collection of forests, which made the kids feel more at home than anything.

Hozu moved a large leaf out of their way, the trees overarching one another in an abnormal fashion. Now this was unlike anything they had ever seen in Equestria. They were definitely close to the borders.

Uncertainty swept over them. What would await them beyond the borders of the only home they ever knew? Was this how Twilight Sparkle and her friends felt when they entered Korra's world for the first time? Would Klugetown really be unlike anything they had ever seen? Would they even know about Equestria or its inhabitants?

"So, what's at this Klugetown anyways?" Akari asked, her hoof stepping on some random twig, her eyes squinting at the small bits of sunlight that peeked through the leafs above them.

"Just don't expect anyone to be looking for a new best friend. It's filled with the worst of the worst. Everything, and everyone can, and will, have a price." Hozu stopped for a moment, crunching down to meet Nori's level. "I know a few folks who would love to have some genuine merpony scales." he said with a sleazy grin, trying to intimidate her.

Nori, rather than tremble, only flared her nostrils at him. Chrysalis swooped in, standing protectively beside the merpony. "If you're trying to scare us you're going to have to do a better job than that."

"Yeah, we once faced off against Koh the Face Stealer in the Dark Spirit Realm." Mai said with pride.

Hori then started counting the rest with his fingers. "Not to mention that one time we fought a fifty foot monster version of Chrysalis, that time we got trapped inside a magic mirror, that sandworm, that manticor king, that one swamp monster, helped restore the Breezie village, and a bunch of other stuff that could go on for days if I listened them one by one."

"Bottom line; we can handle whatever this Klugetown can dish out." Chi said, one hand on her hip and flipping her ponytail over her shoulder with the other.

"Plus, we're not going back home until we find this queen." Iris said, her hand still holding onto the glowing rope that kept Hozu from pulling a fast one. She still wasn't one hundred percent sold on trusting him just yet. He was swift and quick, that much she knew.

"Like, "never"? And what if you don't find her?" Hozu asked.

"We will. We have to." Akari said, sprinkling the last words with more assertiveness. They had to succeed. They couldn't afford to mess up. Everyone's lives depended on them.

"But what if you don't? Like I said, Klugetown is an option not a guarantee solution to your problem." Hozu's voice sounded almost genuinely concerned. Almost.

"It's what we've got right now, and that's good enough for us." Gallant Steed said, "We'll take whatever we can get to save our families."

Hozu only sighed, hands on his hips as if already giving up on the conversation entirely. Iris noticed this and something tug in her stomach, making her feel uneasy. He looked as if he would rather be anywhere else than engaged in this kind of conversation.

"Don't you even care about what happens to our home?"

"You mean your home." Hozu corrected, not even looking at her.

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm just helping you out to get my freedom back. I'm not in it for the 'adventure' or the 'helping' or anything."

"You're kidding, right?" Mai stepped forward. "This monster is terrorizing our friends and families and you act like it's no big deal!"

Hozu took a step back, dawning his casual, careless attitude once more. "I'm not saying you guys don't have a reason to care, I'm just saying that I don't."

Iris, Akari and the others all dropped their jaws, repulsed at the words that came out of his mouth. He didn't have a reason to care? He was aware that, if the Storm king came to Harmony City, or anywhere else in the human world, he would have no place to go, right? Their own parents got trapped and stoned right in front of them, and all in an effort to make sure the kids got out safe and sound. Everything they knew and loved was at stake, and this guy was acting like it was just another typical Tuesday.

"See, I'm a free spirit." Hozu continued. "I don't tie myself down to anyone. I go wherever the winds take me."

"So you just drift around not caring about anyone but yourself?!" Iris's voice rose. Sparks of magic already spewing from the star on her forehead.

"It's not as bad as you make it out to be, Teacup." Hozu said, casually touching her chin with his thumb. Iris angrily slapped it away, feeling the heat of fire already tempting to form at her finger tips. The urge to burn those platinum tips from his head was growing with each passing second, ready to erupt into an explosion of heat and rage.

But while Iris was feeling anger, Hozu let it roll off his back like it was nothing more than common rain water.

(Dancing Through Life from Wicked)

Hozu:

The trouble with your country is

They always try to teach the wrong lesson

Believe me, I've been kicked out of enough of them to know

Nori and Gallant rolled their eyes at this. They found that statement very, very easy to believe.

Hozu suddenly manifested in between Mai and Hiro, wrapping his arms around both of them, much to their surprise, but more to Mai's annoyance. Despite the rope around his waist, Hozu could still move around enough to dance and sing.

They want you to become less callow

Less shallow

But I say: why invite stress in?

Stop studying strife

And learn to live

The unexamined

Life…

Hozu flipped over a boulder, a soft wind picking up, which Iris and Akari noticed. Odd, there wasn't a wind there before. The winds blew away a few leafs, letting in a ray of sunshine over Hozu, resembling a spotlight as he continued to explain his philosophy to the Guardians.

Dancing through life

Skimming the surface

Gliding where turf is smooth

Hozu slid off the rock and poked Gallant Steed's horn as a way to annoy him, then proceeded to take Chi by the hand and ambushing her into a short dance where he dipped her and let her fall flat on her bottom. The wisp turned red with rage.

Life's more painless

For the brainless

Why think too hard?

When it's so soothing

Hozu did move a few leafs, letting the Guardians walk on first. The pathway was becoming clearer and they could see the clear sunlight on the other side. At least they were sure of one thing; Hozu was determined to get them to Klugetown, if only to break free from them once they arrived.

Dancing through life

No need to tough it

When you can sluff it off as I do

Nothing matters

But knowing nothing matters

It's just life

So keep dancing through...

Iris, Akari, Nori, Gallant, Chrysalis, Chi and Mai all shot him angry glares, but Hiro, while not fully on board with his words, couldn't help but find the song enjoyable and even danceable. Mai slapped him in the stomach, causing him to stop.

Speaking as a fun-loving guy himself, Hiro could relate to wanting to live life to the fullest. But even he knew that he and his friends had a responsibility to their families and to their three worlds. So in short, Hiro was enjoying the tune catchy to listen to, he just wasn't sold by it's message.

Dancing through life

Swaying and sweeping

And always keeping cool

Hozu empathized this by walking near Iris, stroking his hair in a flirtatious manner which only resulted in Iris electrocuting him.

Life is fraught-less

When you're thoughtless

Those who don't try

Never look foolish

Hozu recovered quickly and then grabbed Akari in a side hug. The alicorn growled and attempted to bite him. He moved to the other side and she bite nothing but air.

Dancing through life

Mindless and careless

Make sure you're where less trouble is rife

Woes are fleeting

Blows are glancing

When you're dancing

Through life!

"Unbelievable." Iris shook her head in disapproval.

"I know I am, but what are you?" Hozu said, once again, doing everything in his power to annoy her. Well, he was messing with the wrong Avatar.

Iris:

Right now we've got a mission to do

To find the queen and go fight

We won't stop 'til it's right

Hozu:

Come on, just give it a whirl

Iris:

I'm not that kind of girl!

I won't quit right on the spot, no

You may be content, but I'm not

Hozu:

All I'm saying, it's not a sin to go…

Dancing Through Life

From dawn until dusk

If only because dust is what we come to

Nothing matters

But knowing nothing matters

It's just life...

So keep dancing through...

Hozu continued his performance, much to the disinterest of the others. Hiro was still dancing to the rhythm, only to be brought back to his senses when Chrysalis slapped him upside the head.

"What? It's a catchy number!" Hiro said in protest while rubbing his head.

Dancing Through Life

Mindless and careless

Make sure you're where less trouble is rife

And the strange thing

Your life could end up changing

While you're dancing

Through life!

Chi pouted her lips in thought. "Yeah…not seeing the appeal."

"Well, it's not a life meant for everyone." Hozu said with a shrug. Iris rolled her eyes and groaned.

"At least his geography is on point." Gallant Steed said, getting the other's attention. They all gasped at the vast, uncharted land before them. They all took one last look at the very last bit of Equestria one more time.

"This is it."

"You guys coming or what?" Hozu called out, already stepping foot on the sand.

Iris, Akari and everyone all looked at one another. They didn't need any words to understand how they were feeling. They were scared.

Akari placed her hook on Iris's shoulder, who in turn took Chi's hand, who took Hiro's who then took Mai's. Chrysalis had her hoof around Nori, as did Gallant Steed.

Taking in simultaneous breaths they all took one, massive set forward, for the very first time, into the land beyond Equestria.

(~)

Author's Note

Let me tell you guys, Hozu's backstory went through various changes, most of them just ideas and possibilities from the info we got from the MLP movie. At one point, he was to be a member of Captain Celaeno's crew (back when I believed the adventure would be a high seas one). And at one point he was going to have a male hippogriff companion named Stefan. But, after hearing that there would be actual Hippogriffs in the film, and to avoid any issues as well as juggling more characters than needed (and that was before I had Chrysalis become part of the Next Generation group), Stefan was scrapped. Which, in all honesty wasn't a complete loss. I had only come up with the idea of him, but his character and backstory had yet to have been developed.

For personality, I always envisioned him as a Flynn Rider/Nick Wilde type of guy, but I also got some inspiration from characters from Voltron Legendary Defenders. I think you'll understand the further you get to know him.

Well, onto the next adventure!

A storm abrewing

A Storm Brewing

Asami tried everything she could in unlocking the cage she and Bolin were trapped in, but there was no lock or anything for her to tamper with. Even her glove was useless in her attempts. She reached out for a kitchen knife that somehow managed to find its way near their cage and tried to break it. The knife had no effect and the impact sent unpleasant vibrations through her arm, making her teeth chatter.

Bolin tried again and again to bend the earth, but every time he did the cage sucked on more of his energy, preventing him from doing anything. The man eventually gave in, angrily punching the bars. Asami placed a sympathetic hand on his back and the two held one another close. They couldn't do anything but sit and watch as their pony friends were chained up and forced to march through the city.

Unicorns were forced to wear metal plates that covered up their horns, all made of the same material as the cages, and their hooves were also covered as were the pegasus's wings and their mussels, no doubt to keep them from either flying or using their bending.

Firebender ponies couldn't shoot fire from their mouths and water, earth and airbenders couldn't use their hooves to manipulate their respected elements. All of their electronic equipment was crushed to bits so nobody could call for help. Even actual human firebenders were chained and gagged and metalbenders couldn't penetrate through their cuffs since any power they did it would be automatically absorbed.

Dragons, griffons, minotaurs and even good old Steven Magnet were encaged or enslaved. Asami and Bolin caught a glimpse of Tenzin and his children and grandchildren being forced to march along with the ponies. Bumi and Kya were not too far behind, accompanied by Lin, who looked more angry than depressed, though the look she gave the Satos told otherwise.

Bolin and Asami have seen many things in their lives. Both horrible and beautiful. But this, seeing their loved ones forced into slavery and or imprisonment, having all of their resources deemed completely useless, was by far the most traumatizing thing they had ever witnessed.

Their world had so much light, but even so, darkness still somehow found a way to resurface and to try and snuff out the rays of hope.

A storm creature cut the string of a few balloons which rose up into the air, passing by Tempest Shadow who stood at the palace balcony. The dark colored unicorn sneered in disgust as she made her way back inside, hearing the echoing sound of her metal horse-shoes taping the cobblestone floor.

"All this power… wasted on parties. When there are far greater uses."

Tempest stopped right in front of the statue of Avatar Korra, her face entirely frozen in a state of panic, her hands raised upwards in a desperate attempt to shield herself. Her long hair was frozen in place, as if it were levitating off of the floor. From the right angle, it looked like a tail.

Twilight Sparkle was placed right beside her. Tempest smiled smugly at the sight of a terrified Queen Twilight. "Not so powerful now, are you?"

The other alicorns were placed in groups. Leilani with her two daughters and Cadance with Flurry Heart. In the heart of the throne room, right in front of Celestia and Luna's thrones was a large four petal flower symbol with a circle in the middle. Four petals stuck out, where the alicorns were placed. Cadance and Flurry Heart faced opposite to where Leilani, Celestia and Luna stood and an empty spot, opposite to Korra and Twilight.

And, just for good measure, she had the stone statues of the Mane Six, and Mako and Flash Sentry around the room, just so she could relish in seeing them all at her mercy.

Two storm creatures entered the thrown room, one holding a glass bottle with luminescent blue liquid that kept bilking. A sound identical to a geo-phone's ringtone played over and over, much to Tempest's annoyance.

"Well? Answer it!"

Tempest was tempted to unleash her unstable magic at them. If only they were more competent at their job like her former criminal gang was. Thankfully, she wouldn't need to put up with them for much longer.

The storm creature holding the bottle ported it into large basin. In a flash, a blue substance resembling a mix of icy mist, water and blue fire rose up into a cylinder. The image of someone manifested within the mist.

"Where am I supposed to be looking? I never understand how this spell works. Tempest!"

"Over here, Your Excellency." Tempest replied, thankful he couldn't see her roll her eyes.

"Where?"

"Over here. No. No, right. Look right."

"My right?"

"Yep."

"Oh. There you are."

The creature from the other side rearranged himself to face her, earlier only his lower chin could be seen. It was a creature of white fur, icy blue eyes with black pupils and two pairs of tucks sticking out from his lower lip. His entire face was gray and he had a sharp looking crown with horns. He wore a full body black armor with the blue sharp knife symbol on his chest. Her looked like a cross between a yeti and a baboon.

This was the Storm King. The monster who planed on conquering the land of Equestria and ruined the children's Friendship Festival. But, as intimidating as he looked, Tempest was far from frightened by his presence. To the other creatures he was their evil overlord, but for Tempest he was simply a means to get what she wanted.

The Storm King cleared his throat as he addressed to Tempest. "Here's the deal. I'm in the middle of a big re-brand here. "The Storm King" is tracking, well as "intensely intimidating", but you know what? I need to back it up. You know what I need to back it up with? A storm! That would be great!"

The evil king's voice boomed so powerfully it made the entire throne room tremble. The storm creatures from behind cowered in fear. Even the magical mist from which Tempest used to speak with him intensified in color and heat, mirroring his outburst.

Tempest, on the other hand, remained unfazed. It wasn't anything new for her boss to get all dramatic and exaggerative with his demands. Underneath that monstrous form was nothing more than an overgrown man child with an ego that would take at least ten massive tsunamis to knock down.

"You promised me magic that could control the elements, and right now, I'm holding a what? A branch. A twig. Bleh!"

The Storm King held out said "twig", which was really a long, branch-like staff with a tall blue crystal at the top. Two arms wrapped around it, holding the jewel in place.

"Uh, that would be the Staff of Sacanas, Your Excellency, and it will channel the magic of the primary rulers of this land, which in turn will allow you access to all the magic of anyone within a hundred yards. You'll soon have the power of a hundred armies."

"So that would be a 'yes' on your locking down the Avaloriani or Pegacornicuseses, or whatever you call them, right?"

"Give me three days. I'll have everything ready for your arrival."

"Remember, Tempest. Only I have the power to make you whole." The Storm King's voice grew ominous, a large stretch from how it was before. Never the less, Tempest kept her eyes locked onto his, never once showing even so much as the subtlest signs of fear. "Make this twig work, and you'll get your reward. Fail me, and your horn won't be the only thing that's broken."

"It won't be a problem."

The Storm King kept his intense stare on her for a few more seconds before smiling, "Great!" he said with a more upbeat tone. "I'm ready to power up, crash and bash, and be the biggest, baddest bugaloooooo…"

Tempest watched unamused as the spell came to an end and the image of the Storm King evaporated once the mist-flame-like material sank back into a pool of glowing blue liquid inside the basin. Her aquamarine eyes landed on Grubber, who had just entered the throne room.

"Sorry, bad spell service. You want me to call him back?"

"Do you have the Princesses?" Tempest asked as she approached the hedgehog.

Grubber nervously fiddled with the ends of his vest. "Well, uh, funny story. It kinda seems like they… they might've like, you know, got away... a little bit."

Tempest sneered at the furry creature. Why didn't she expect this to happen? Grubber was just as incompetent as they came. Of course, what to expect from such an equally incompetent boss who treated everything like he had just won all the blocks in the playpen during recess?

"I know you're disappointed, but I got one word for you: "sponge cake"."

Grubber pulled out the desert from his back pocket and smiled, offering it to Tempest. He was always doing stuff like this, trying to be all sweet and nice and trying to cheer her up. But really, the only thing that could ever cheer up Tempest up was getting her horn back and her revenge, which now won't be possibly with two of the princesses missing. What's worse, one of them was the Avatar's daughter, thus making her the Avatar!

Tempest unleashed her rage by zapping at Grubber with her magic. It was thicker than before and it made him collapse. A few of his gray hairs had singed in the process.

"I need all of the alicorns for the staff to work!"

"But why?" Grubber asked, immediately recovered from the blast. "We've got the Avatar and, um, let's see…" he began counting the other alicorns in the room, much to Tempest's annoyance. "Two, that's three… carry the three…" Grubber then gave up on counting, "Anyway, why do you need two more alicorns when you've got plenty? I'm sure the Storm King will still give you back your horn and, believe me, I want him to fix that crazy thing just as badly as you do." Grubber said, being genuinely sympathetic. "It looks like a crackly chipped tooth on the top of your head. And you know you don't look good in hats."

Tempest's anger flared and more of the dangerous energy sprung out from her horn, causing Grubber to recoil in terror. "Those pampered little brats are not gonna keep me from getting my horn and my revenge! Prepare my ship!"

Grubber whimpered in fear and ran out of the room to do just that. Once he was gone, Tempest stomped her way towards Korra and Twilight, her eyes also darting towards Mako, Flash and the rest of the Mane Six in the corner of the room.

"You took what was most precious to me once… now I'm going to do the same to you." With that, she turned to make her leave. "Please, how far can a couple of princesses get on their own?"

(~)

Author's Note

Ever since I first heard of Tempest Shadow, I've been brain storming on how to alter her backstory for this version. While I won't spoil anything, but let's just say it's going to be a little different from her cannon one. I was trying to make her a bit more complex and tragic, so hopefully I did an alright job.

Onto the next chapter!

One Sly cat

One Sly Cat

To say they were tired was an understatement. The Guardians, still guided by Hozu, dragged their feet across the golden hot sand. The sun was beating down hard on them. They could feel their backs literally turning red. Unless they were hallucinating, they could have sworn they saw steam emitting from their bodies, though that could also be a trick of the scorching heat.

Sweat dripped from their brows, making their hair stingy and wet. The humans had their clothes stained with sweat and the ponies and changeling had their tails dragging behind them. Dark bangs hung under their eyes.

Chi couldn't even float anymore. She was literally being dragged across. Mai and Iris both held her with her arms wrapped around their shoulders. It was a good thing the wisp was light so dragging her didn't take much effort. The wisp's entire body was colored gray.

Nori used her pearl magic to try and shield them from the heat earlier, but it only resulted in capturing the sun's light and made them feel even more overheated.

Gallant Steed had found a palm leaf that somehow managed to land in the desert a few yards back and levitated it to try and cover Akari, Chrysalis and Nori with it. After a while, the leaf dried up and fell to pieces as they kept on walking. Hozu wiped the sweat from his forehead, his tongue sticking out. He never wanted water so badly.

Hiro was hunched over before he finally caved in and feel to his knees, the sand rising and making him cough. "There's sand in my... everything... " Hiro panted and then gave a short laugh, "Heh, heh… Saving... Equestria…" he said, followed by a demented laugh.

"Oh! Look! Maybe this guy knows which way to go!" He picked up the head skull of a bird, which no doubt had long since died out here. Hiro's widened left eye witched, completely unfazed at the little bug that crawled out of the skull and up his head, down his back.

"What's that, friend? We're lost?" Hiro tossed the skull away, laughing like a maniac before letting out a few hard coughs. He giggled dementedly before collapsing face first into the sand, sinking deeper.

"How long have we been walking?" Akari asked, her wings dragging to her side.

"Five hours." Iris said, having kept track of the time. "Not counting the five hundred miles we just passed thanks to Chi's super speed."

The wisp coughed, her throat dry. "Yeah. Turning into an Ursa Minor to give you kids rides was fun when you were ten, but now…. Seriously, when did you all get so heavy!"

"Oh, join a gym!" Mai snapped back at her.

"Eat some lettuce!"

"There…" Chrysalis panted, "Is no… possible way… that you have ever… traveled here…" the changeling coughed and shuddered in disgust when she felt a drop of her own sweat enter her mouth. "All on your own!"

Hozu wiped even more of the sweat dorm hie brow and hair. He normally liked keeping it casualy messy, but now it looked like he really did sleep in the sewer.

"He could be dragging us in circles for all we know!" Akari exclaimed, her tired eyes burning a hole through Hozu's skull. Iris would have too, but she was too occupied with making sure Chi didn't pass out on them.

"Believe me, if I had ever planned on dying it the desert, it ain't gonna be with a magical electric rope tied around my waist!" Hozu tugged on said rope. If he ever got too far it would automatically electrocute him.

"But how were you able to get to Klugetown without collapsing the last time?" Iris asked, her long hair sticking to her cheek.

Hozu's eyes widened. "I-uh, I had other means to get there." he said, rather quickly. Iris arched an eyebrow at his sudden nervousness.

"And you couldn't have mentioned that before now?!" Nori exclaimed, stomping her hoof on the soft sand, causing it to sink.

"Let's just say, it worked better when I was alone. Not with an entire field trip!"

Gallant Steed finally gave in, falling onto the sand. "Endless... sand…" he inhaled deeply, stretching his lower eyelids with his hooves. "Nothing for miles... but sand…" he breathed in again then coughed harshly. "And this rock... and this cactus…" Gallant lifted up his rump, where a cactus has stuck to it. He levitated it off and collapsed back down, his eyes landing on a row of rocks, placed closely together. "And this road... this rooooooad…."

"A road?" Akari stopped to look at the rocks in which Gallant had collapsed. They had seen many rocks, but these were different. They were flat and placed closer together, much like the rocky roads that they found in someone's garden for decorative purposes.

Akari found the strength that remained in her hooves and galloped up the top of the sandy dune where the rocks multiplied. "Where there's a road, there's a…"

Akari gasped, a relieved smile grew wide across her face. Iris and Mai also gasped with delight and Chi's gray coloring faded, returning to her original vibrant blue. She found the strength to float again, so Mai and Iris didn't need to carry her anymore.

Nori, Chrysalis and Gallant all approached the top of the sand dune, their exhaustion fading once they saw the sight before them. Hozu fixed his hair and smiled victoriously.

"Finally." Hozu said to himself in relief before fixing his air and smiled victoriously, while presenting the city to the gang. "Ladies and gentleman, welcome to Klugetown!"

Klugetown was a large city, stacked high on a tall rock with a large number of old and torn buildings. Smoke rose from spires, creating musty gray clouds that only added to the foggy sea that surrounded the base of the large rock. It looked to be millions of years old, and incredibly strong to hold all of that. The path that led to the city was littered with the remains of ships half sunken into the sand, looking like a graveyard. They saw a few airships coming in and out of the port, so at least they would have a way to leave once they found what they needed.

Hiro, who had been passed out on the sand the entire time, spontaneously rose up with renewed enthusiasm. Even his cloths and hair were somehow cleaner than before and the bangs under his eyes disappeared.

"Hey! We made it! Woohoo! We are doing it, you guys!"

"Well, looks like you weren't leading us to our unsuspecting deaths after all." Chrysalis said to Hozu, who gave her a haughty grin as they all made their way towards the city. Scary or not, this was their only lead in finding the Hippogriffs.

"You know what they say. Where there's a city, there's a pool!" Nori said with gleeful relief, flipping her already messed up green and purple mane. She was practically drooling at the idea of dipping herself into the cool, rejuvenating waters.

"Who says that?" Chi asked.

"Incase you forgot, we're on a mission to save the world." Mai said.

Nori only held her had up high, "I can multitask."

(~)

The city didn't look more pleasant up close, but something about its run-down appearance reminded them of the olden towns in the Earth Kingdom from their school's history books, or from pictures of their parents's old adventures. The Misty Palms Oasis, which was also located in a desert, was far cleaner and more welcoming compared to this place.

Hozu was accurate in his descriptions. It was a trader's paradise. Well, the word 'paradise' could be used very loosely. The kids saw rows and rows of unkept stands with torn up tarps for shade and all sorts of items placed on the wooden tables, which had their nails nearly falling off. It was a miracle they hadn't collapsed yet. A full on black market city if there ever was one where everything had a price and anything can be sold for the right price.

Akari's ears perked in alarm when she saw two pig-like creatures forcibly placing an innocent squawking bird into a cage.

"Don't worry, little one, we'll let ya go."

"To the highest bidder!" said his companion with a laugh. The button that connected the single strap to his trousers popped out and he grabbed his pants before they fell off. Akari shuddered in disgust and quickly averted her eyes.

Compared to the rest of the city, the inhabitants were--ironically enough--the least disturbing thing the kids had ever seen. There was an assortment of anthropomorphic creatures extending from pigs with tusks, fish-like reptilians, rodent-faced abominations with sharp claws and even a few traits that shouldn't belong to their respected animal. Gills could be found on the side of a mole rat's neck, and a large turtle creature had tusks on his snout and cloven feet like that of a goat.

Their chimera-like appearances reminded the children of the countless colorful, and diverse assortment of spirits from the Spirit World. They may not appear to be as friendly or "cute" as the most well known spirits back home, but their looks didn't faze them in the slightest. If anything, what disturbed them most were the things that were on display.

One vendor, which resembled a giant rat in a dark cloak, eyed Akari and Gallant Steed. "Ooh. Hey! You with the horns… you selling?" His giant fingers wiggled eagerly as if he would pounce and grab their horns himself.

The two ponies flinched at both the vendor and what he had on his stand. A variety of disembodied horns, no doubt cut right off by force, aligned the the table. One looked vaguely resembled a unicorn's horn. Iris walked alongside the two, shielding them from the vendor's view.

Chrysalis saw a few strange looking birds in cages and immediately her heart dropped at the sight of the poor dears. Changelings were known as caretakers of nature ever since they reformed, and as someone who adorned nature (it being one of her biggest artistic inspirations) she couldn't bare to see these poor animals encaged.

She backed away when they all squawked at her in anger. Gallant Steed quickly grabbed her by her front hoof and led her away.

"Translation: Don't look them in the eye or they'll peck your guts out." Gallant said. His magical ability was being able to understand animals. Not the most useful of skills, but he was a unicorn with magical talents, so it wasn't that big of a deal.

"No petting zone. Got it." Chrysalis said as she and her friend left the area of the caged pets.

While the kids each found something to be startled by, be it something up for sale or even one of the creatures eying them in an unsettling manner, Hozu was as cool as a cucumber.

"Quite the charming little venue, isn't it?" Hozu placed his hands on Iris's shoulders, pushing her further along the way. "I'll admit, it's no Grand Galloping Gala, but hey, it's got that whole 'colorful' charm you're so into, right?"

Hozu stopped pushing Iris once they stopped in a small center of the city and he stepped in front of her. Iris nearly tripped but regained her balance very quickly.

"Welp, I've completed my end of the bargain, this has been loads of fun, really, but some things just aren't meant to be. So I'll be on my--GAH!!" Hozu tripped and landed flat on his face at feeling the powerful tug of the rope around his waist. "Uh, Princess, you forgot to untie me." He said, his voice muffled against the dirty floor.

"Slow your rolls. We're not through just yet." Iris said, holding the rope tightly in hand.

Hozu spit out the dirt from his mouth and narrowed his eyes. "We had a deal! You promised after I brought you to Klugetown you'd set me free!"

Iris turned to Chrysalis, who gave Hozu a sly smile. Her entire body glowed green and she changed into a perfect replica of Iris, speaking in her voice.

"You're the only one who knows where Klugetown is. You take us there, and after we find what we're looking for, then we'll let you go." Chrysalis changed back into her changeling self, flying up near Iris, giving her a bro-hoof pump.

"You didn't think we were going to relinquish our only guide through this place, did you?" Akari said, equally as confident as Iris was.

Hozu growled in anger as he stood up, clenching his fists and staring daggers at Iris. "I haven't broken my promise." Iris said. "Where is the best place we can find anything that can lead us to the Hippogriffs?"

Hozu groaned in exasperation. "This is the collectables ring. We're going to need to get to the antiques ring if you want to find anything."

"Great, let's go!" Akari flapped her wings and took the lead, with Iris following behind. She gave Hozu a cocky grin before walking by. Mai, Nori, Chi and Chrysalis all walked past him, all sharing the same exact smudges.

Hiro and Gallant stayed a bit longer to listen to Hozu face palm himself, sighing and shaking his head. "How do you put up with her?"

Hiro sympathetically patted him in the back. "Her dad's a cop and her mom's the Avatar. Being hard to deal with is in her blood."

"Come on! We're burning daylight!" Iris called out, making Hozu growl infuriatingly.

Chi hovered closer to Iris and whispered. "You sure you want to keep him around? We could just find our way ourselves." she asked. The rest of the team following Hozu's lead.

"We can't afford to waste anymore time." Akari said, her eyes pealed on all sides, active and alert. "Any second we waste is another in which the Storm King gets closer to conquering Equestria."

"Exactly. Besides, we don't know this place very well. We can't risk being led astray." Iris said. "If that means we have to put up with Hozu's infuriating personalty for a few more minutes, then so be it." She said the word 'infuriating' while grinding her teeth tightly.

"I don't know." said Nori, "He's not that bad."

"What are you talking about? He's selfish, lazy, careless!"

"But, cute. Right?" Nori looked up at Iris who looked almost staggered.

"I… didn't really notice." Iris replied, speaking low enough so Hozu wouldn't hear. Her female companions were the only ones who did. Nori and Chrysalis both giggled, while Mai and Chi only rolled their eyes. Akari, however, looked more concerned than anything.

Hozu walked on by a human sized turtle with spikes on his shell and a tusk sticking out from his snout, without so much as acknowledging his presence. Iris, on the other hand, was more polite and greeted the creature. "Hi, there!" Iris's friendly greeting caught the turtle off guard and he dropped the large barrels he was pushing onto his wagon. "Ooh, I'm sorry. Here, let me help you with that."

Hozu stopped and turned around to see Iris helping the turtle. The star on her forehead glowed brightly and the barrels were cloaked with an aura of purple. Sparkles landed on the ground as Iris levitated them back onto the wagon.

"Hey! No magic around my merchandise!" The Turtle yelled, startling Iris. She was only trying to help and he couldn't even be thankful for it?

Akari got right in between Iris and the turtle, horn glowing bright blue, ready to defend her best friend. She stopped midway when Hozu blocked her from the turtle's view. "Whoa, whoa, easy man! Nobody's taking your loot. Me and my associates will just be going." Hozu grabbed Iris by the shoulder and Akari in mid flight and pushed them away from the turtle. The rest of the Guardians quickly followed, not making eye contact with the angry turtle creature.

Not too far away, at a small outside bar, someone watched the children, and caught a sight of Iris's magic. His lips pursed in thought and his ears twitching with interest. "Hmmm… Very interesting…"

Once they were far enough away, Hozu exhaled a breath of relief. "First thing's first; This isn't Harmony City, or Ponyville, or whatever! You can't just go around doing your sparkly magic and expect others to be compelled to help you."

"I was only--" Iris was cut off when Hozu covered her mouth, shushing her while looking all around.

"Just stick close, alright? Don't talk to anybody, and just try to blend in."

"Can I have your attention please?!"

Mai, Iris and Hozu all groaned when they heard Hiro out in the open, shouting at the top of his lungs at all of the random creatures that walked on by. "Does anyone know where we can find the Queen of the Hippogriffs?!"

"You want something? You gotta give something!" Said a large fish-like creature.

"Well, I dropped my wallet during the invasion so, how about taking a selfie with your grateful new best pal?" Hiro pulled out his geo-phone and snapped a quick selfie with himself and the fish-man. The flash made him go temporarily blind and he walked away, wanting nothing to do with the boy or his flashing device.

"No? Okay, let's see, um… Oh!" Hiro then appeared before a long faced frilled lizard creature with blue scales. "How about this dental floss that's never been used?" he pulled out said string of dental floss, in which there were still very obvious small bits of food stuck to it, and a piece of spinach, along with some pocket lint.

When that didn't work, Hiro kept on going to random creatures, offering them any random thing he found in his pockets. "A copy of my last report card? This Red Lion action figure? Mint gum? Seriously, buddy. Help me help you."

A pig-faced creature burped in Hiro's face. The nasty stench of his breath went into Hiro's nostrils, nearly making him pass out. Akari magically dragged Hiro away by the collar of his sleeveless jacket.

"Hiro, you can't just take off!" Akari said, then spoke through her clenched teeth, "And you don't need to announce to every…"

"Relax, Akari. I totally got this!"

"How much for the blue girl?" The same blue scaled lizard creature asked, pointing at Chi.

"Excuse me?" The wisp rolled up the sleeves of her jacket, her blue coloring almost taking on a faint red. Iris blocked her path before she started a riot.

"Uh, Chi isn't for sale."

"I want that fancy purple green hair!" A green colored female creature with antlers and a big nose said, staring at Nori. "I'll give ya two storm bucks for it!"

The merpony scoffed, "Two storm bucks?! It's worth more than that!"

Gallant Steed hoof palmed himself at Nori's responce. Clearly, she was missing the point of this. Before long, they Guardians had an entire swarm of reptiles, rodents and chimera-like creatures already bidding on them as if they were some kind of collectable toys placed to be auctioned.

One said he wanted Akari's wings, another wanted Mai's hat. Hiro was starting to see the consequences of his foolishness. He was only trying to find someone who could help them faster, but even in his impatience he had unintentionally placed them all in trouble.

Iris readied her stance to defend herself but her attention was lured onto Hozu. More specifically, his hands. Little bits of lightning starting emitting from his fingertips, accompanied by a faint glow. She saw the look on his face, which was a far's cry away from the street-wise wannabe flirt she had recently met. His eyes carried a sense of anger, anxiety and… even fear.

She had been paying close attention to the little peculiar things he did. The way he seemed to disappear like the wind back at the festival. The small gusts of wind that seemed to follow him around, and even that one moment where it seemed like his feet were gliding across the floor. Before Iris could dig into this any further she felt one of the creatures grab her arm.

"How much for that red scarf?" The beast asked, reaching out to grab it by force. He stopped midway when he saw the star on Iris's forehead glow dangerously bright and she sneered at him. Her eyes giving a very faint white glow and a blinding light of magic manifested in her palm.

"The scarf… stays!"

The beast was blown away--literally--by Iris's magic. He was sent up into the air and landed head first into a nearby stand, destroying the vendor's items which were now scattered across the dirty floor.

"Hey!" The angry vendor marched his way towards Iris. While the princess stood her ground, Hozu, much to her surprised, stepped back in fear. The light energy from his hands hidden behind his back.

"You're gonna pay for that!" The Vendor was about to send a fist straight into Iris's face, which was blocked by Mai. The girl was far shorter than the Vendor, yet she managed to hold his fist in her hand like it was nothing. His eyes widened in alarm at the feel of her own hand tightening around his.

"You probably shouldn't have done that." Mai said with a sly grin. She then gripped the Vendor's wrist and, with little effort, hoisted him over her shoulder and sent him flying into the air before landing flat faced on the ground.

The rest of the creatures stared in horror at the sight of a thin human girls being able to lift a two ton goon over her like it was a medium sized trash bag. Of course, a lot of the stronger-looking thugs didn't like having competition. Rather than scaring them off, the kids attracted more unwanted attention. But, unlike some of the other residents of Klugetown, the kids didn't show any signs of fear.

One giant pig creature tried to snatch Akari, who teleported herself out of the way and reappeared again, sending a stream of fire at him. His shirt caught fire and he ran away like a frightened little girl.

A creature with a bear-like body and snake's head snarled at Gallant Steed, using a cage he had strapped to his back to try and catch him. Using his airbending, Gallant Steed propelled himself upwards and created a tornado that caught the creature, and a few others in its wake before sending them away, knocking them against a few more stands. These vendors ran away in terror.

More of the stronger creatures tried to crush Mai, who was not only physically strong, but also nimble. In a few seconds flat, each of the goons were stacked on top of one another, all disoriented. Mai dusted her hands and leaned against a pillar, casually inspecting her nails. One creature saw his chance to ambush her from behind, only to get a punch to the face and passed out. Mai didn't even need to turn around.

As for Hiro, he was casually chewing on the mint gum he had offered one of the creatures. When one came at him with a rope, Hiro casually tossed a strip of gum, which started to glow once it was airborne. It exploded into a sticky mess, trapping the goon and many more in its sugary, sticky web.

"Should have taken the gum, buddy." Hiro said while chewing.

Nori, of course, used her pearls and hurled them at the lady who wanted her hair. The edges slicing at her own hair, giving her a horrible haircut. She screamed and ran away, leaving Nori to admire her own reflection in one of her pearls, which hovered in front of her.

Chi, in her wolf form, zipped back and forth, tying several of the creatures's legs together without them being able to see her. Once she stopped, she pulled at the rope with her mouth and they were all knocked down to the ground. Mai then took the rope and hurled them away.

Chrysalis was blocked. The giant rats drawing as they towered over her. The changeling gave them a charming smile. "Now, now, boys. You wouldn't harm a Queen, would you?" She said, speaking in an eloquently pleasing voice.

The rats stared at her in confusion, which only made Chrysalis laugh. Her entire body glowed green and her beautiful, naturally young body had changed back into the sickly thin and black colored version of the Evil Queen Chrysalis, complete with fork tongue and distorted voice.

The rats dropped their ears (one even peed himself) and they all ran away screaming like little girls. Chrysalis changed back into her real self, flipping her beautiful yellow green hair. Nori have her a hoof-pump.

"You can take the girl out of the Queen. But you can't take the Queen out of the girl." Nori said, hugging her friend.

As for Iris, she was handling herself just as well as the others. Fighting side by side with Akari, the two kicked, punched and flipped various incoming opponents, determined to take either their horn, wings or the scarf. Iris would rather eat cow manure than let anyone take away her father's scarf. It was more precious to her than any jewel that could be found in the mines of Ponyville.

Hozu watched from the sidelines. His mouth dropped and eyes widened at seeing all of these rich city kids using these abnormally incredible powers to defend themselves. He had never seen anything like it before. And Iris--a beautiful, royal princess--was taking on a guy that was twice her size using not only her magic and bending, but also her natural agility and wits. She barely even used the elements, seeing as she was able to knock them down with a few good punches and kicks. Hozu cringed in pain at the sight of her fist finding some guy's jaw. It looked as if a rock had stricken his face.

The last goon fell to the ground when Akari kicked him right in the stomach. His tongue stuck out and his eyes rolled in their sockets. The Guardians each stood proudly beside each other, dusting off their cloths from the fight.

Hozu finally recovered from his astonishment and laughed. "Dang. You city kids are crazy."

"Runs in the family." Gallant Steed said.

"There y'all are!"

A voice, one they didn't recognize, was hear amongst the crowd. The kids saw a tall caramel colored cat wearing a long red trench coat emerge, looking frantic and worried. Judging by his voice and size, he looked to be around his early twenties, close to Chrysalis's age.

"Didn't I tell ya not to go around causin' trouble?" The cat said sternly to the kids. Iris, Akari and the others all looked at one another in confusion. The cat creature then gave Akari a wink and a hidden smile away from the audience. The alicorn's ears perked with interest.

"You know these freaks?" The fish creature asked.

The cat stepped in between the crowd and the Guardians, outstretching his arms, warning them not to come too close. "Back up, everyone! Back it up! Y'all in some serious danger! Now you didn't touch any of them, did you? Just look at all those colors! You think that's natural?" He then whispered to a porcupine creature, "They're infected with "Pastelis Coloritis"."

The creatures all gasped in horror. The kids, while mainly confused, could plainly see that this guy was trying to play the crowd.

"What's that?!" One of the creatures asked, already shaking in his pants.

"Believe me, you don't want it anywhere near you! See, I found these poor diseased kids out in the wilderness and I've been trying to find a cure for it. But, as you can see, they can't stand being cooped up for too long. I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience."

The cat creature politely took Mai and Chi's shoulders and began to kindly lead them, and the others, away from the crowd. "I'll just be taking these sickly ones back to my place where I can tend to them properly."

"Hold on! How come you're not sick?" A Deer-like creature asked.

"Because, my 'deer' friend, felines such as myself are immune to this particular illness. Why else do you think I haven't let y'all go anywhere near em? But don't worry, as long as you're not covered in purple splotches, you'll be fine."

While no one was looking, the cat dipped his tail into the juice of a crushed purple fruit on the ground, the result of the fight from earlier, and splashed the liquid onto the arms of the fish creature without him knowing.

"Uh-oh."

The fish man gasped at the purple 'splotches' on him that even the others stepped away in terror. "What do I do?! Where's the cure!"

"Sadly, I haven't gotten enough ingredients to finish it up, and I doubt I will in time." The cat said, his ears dropping with sadness, even his green eyes grew bigger to better sell the facade. "If I were you'd, I'd enjoy my last moments. And don't touch anyone. Because parts will fall off."

The creatures all ran off in terror, the Fish creature already inspecting his body to see that all of his parts were still in tact. Once the coast was clear, the cat dusted his suit and addressed the kids.

"Well, all right. Quite the impressive performance you kids just pulled. I've never seen anything like it."

"Thanks for your help." Chi said, floating up to him. "That was awesome!"

"I'll say! You put on the charms like a pro!" Nori said, immensely impressed with the cat's performance.

"It's like watching a sculptor but your clay was lies!" Hiro said, equally impressed.

Chrysalis tilted her head, looking at him quizzically. "Normally, I don't condone lying, but you did save us the trouble of needing to knock a few more heads so, I'll let it slide."

"I'll be taking that as a compliment." The cat kneeled before Chrysalis, taking her hoof and kissing it. "Capper's the name. Charming's my game."

Chrysalis felt her cheeks turn red at his gesture, and Nori giggled.

"So, I hear you're looking for the Hippogriffs."

All eyes fell on Hiro, who blushed and whistled innocently while scratching his head.

"We're trying to find something that can lead us to where they are." Iris said.

"Is that so? Well, I--" Capper stopped midway when he saw the white-haired barefoot young man trying to make his leave. Hozu made the mistake of taking a step, literally, too far and he was electrocuted by the rope still around his waist. He collapsed to the floor and Capper towered over him.

"Don't I know you from somewhere?"

Hozu's eyes widened. "M-Me? No! No, no, not at all! You see, I just have one of those types of faces and--"

"Oh, now I remember! You broke into my place to steal my stuff once!" Capper's green slits became even more intense. A fierce growl could be heard vibrating from his throat.

"That was a long time ago!" Hozu said as he stood up, still trying to keep up the innocent act.

"It was eight months."

"Was it? I-I hardly keep tabs of where I've been." Hozu's eyes darted towards Iris and the others, all of which gave him disapproving glares. They knew, for a fact, that what he said was a flat out lie. If he didn't remember, then he never would have been able to bring them to Klugetown to begin with.

Capper ignored him and addressed the Princess and her companions. "As I was saying; if it's the Hippogriffs you're looking for, I believe I might be able to help."

"You know where they are?" Akari asked, almost too eagerly.

"Well, not exactly, but I have heard of them. I'm a collector of oddities, so my place may have something that can be of assistance to y'all. I should warn you though, I'm a bit of a hoarder so it may take some time to find."

"It won't be a problem." Akari said with visible determination. "I'm sure with all of us we'll find something in no time."

Capper stroked his chin. "Hmmm. I like your confidence, little one."

Iris then turned to Hozu and, with a wave of her wrist, she magically made the rope around his waist disappear. It almost felt weird to not have it around him anymore.

"A deal's a deal. You're free to go, Hozu."

"Wait, seriously?"

"Yeah." Iris said with a nod. "I'm sure we can take it from here." She felt Capper's paws on her shoulder.

"If you'd like, your boyfriend here can come along too."

"He's not my boyfriend!"

"I'm not her boyfriend!"

Both Iris and Hozu exclaimed at the same time, faces red from embarrassment. Gallant Steed and Akari slapped their foreheads with their hooves and shaking their heads. They should have seen this coming.

"Besides, I doubt you'd want me anywhere near your place." Hozu said, folding his arms and turning away.

Capper then wrapped his arms around Hozu, much to his surprise, and discomfort. "Hey, hey, I'm not one to hold grudges. I know what it's like out here. You gotta look out for your own. But, that doesn't mean we gotta act like savages, now do we? Besides, I've been meaning to clean up my pad anyways." Capper adjusted his jacket and took the lead, "So… to the Hippogriffs, then?"

Hozu saw everyone already starting to follow the talking cat and immediately something felt off. He never thought much about this 'Capper' the last time he snuck into his place to steal something, but there was something peculiar about the way he carried himself. He did so with such suave. The kind of suave that could lure in anyone like a moth to a flame.

The others stopped abruptly when Hozu came in between them and Capper, speaking in a whisper. "Hang on. I'm not so sure you should trust this guy. Nobody in Klugetown does anything for free."

"Oh, so now you care?" Mai said, folding her arms and narrowing her eyes in disapproval. "Also, weren't you the one who stole from him?"

"Well, I-I didn't--"

"He also did just help us out." Hiro said. "Plus, he's got that cool jacket!"

"And we could definitely use another friend out here." said Nori.

Capper then appeared right in between Hozu and Mai. "You know what? Little Seashell Hair is right. And, if I do say so myself..."

This town is not a nice place

For little kitties all alone

There are lots of twists and corners

That could lead to the unknown

Let me guide your way

And I'll be sure to help you through

You could really use a friend out here

And luckily for you...

It wasn't enough that Capper had an alluringly natural charisma and a smooth sounding voice… but he could sing too? Hozu could feel his envy boiling over. He had worked hard to master the 'suave-street-wise charmer' routine for years, and this guy just swoops in and does a better job at it than he ever did?

Even Iris and the others could agree that Capper was far more pleasant to be around than Hozu was, which only prompted his suspicions all the more.

I'm the friend that you need

When you're lost and don't know what to do

I'm your pal, your amigo

Useful and resourceful, too

And my help, you'll concede

Is a plus guaranteed

Capper led the kids through a small little market where they sold all kinds of fruit by fist pumping the creature standing guard out front. While the kids weren't looking, Capper swiped a few fruits from a stand, also unseen by the vendor himself. Capper juggled the fruits and handed two of them to a couple of hungry bystanders and the last one to Mai, who smiled in gratitude.

You can call and I'll come running

Just follow my lead

'Cause I'm the friend you need!

The two creatures he had given the fruit to joined in the song.

Earnest creature:

He's a friend

Scaly creature:

Quite a friend!

Together:

He's a friend indeed!

Even though Hozu was technically free to leave and didn't need to stay, he remained none the less. He wasn't alongside the group, but rather behind them, observing Capper closely. The cat himself proved to be as helpful as he claimed he was. He blocked the kids from an incoming large creature, swatted a tentacle away from Nori that grew from a barrel and used a plank of wood as a bridge for the kids to walk across in between two rooftops. They also rode on a train car and jumped off before they reached the broken part of the track.

You need a bud to spot the danger

A pal to stop the creep

A chum and not a stranger to assist

You need a bro who is cunning

That can help you take the leap

A friend who knows what's lying in the mist

Capper led them through one area that had a thick mist. Gallant Steed saw red eyed bats beginning to swarm all around. He was about to use his magic to shilled himself, but Capper swooped in and did it for him with an umbrella that had holes on it but still spared him from the winged creatures.

Don't fear these darkened alleys

They're scary, yes, I know

Why, you could use a friend

To protect you wherever you go

The Cat man danced around Chrysalis, bowing like a gentleman, which made her blush.

And such a dazzling beauty

Covered in dirt and muck

But now your fate is changing

Now you are in luck

Capper rolled out a long red carpet so Chrysalis and the others wouldn't need to walk over the filth and Capper let them to his home, which was at the top of a tall water mill.

'Cause I'm the friend that you need

When you're lost and don't know what to do

I'm your pal, your amigo

Lookin' out for friends like you

And my help, you'll concede

Is a plus guaranteed

Just call and I'll come running

We'll say it's agreed...

Capper led everyone into the door of the gate, one by one they all thanked him. Hozu was dead last, but rather than thank him, he shot him an angry glare which Capper ignored, still smiling. Once they were all on the other side, Capper closed the door and turned to a small little creature wearing a large scarf that covered half of his face and tucked in a small note.

"Here. Tell Verko, my place, twenty minutes. I've got something that will magically erase all my debt."

With a sly smile, Capper bursted back in, singing once more as the others hitched a ride on one of the mill's wings towards the top.

'Cause I'm the friend you need!

Guardians:

He's a friend

Chrysalis:

Quite a friend!

Guardians:

He's a friend indeed!

(~)

Capper stuck his head out from the floor door that led into his home and jumped out. "Welcome, my little kitties, to my little manor."

One by one, the Guardians climbed out and immediately they were welcomed by the sweet, familiar scent of steaming hot tear already brewing in a small side kitchen right there in the living room. Capper's place was unlike the rest of Klugetown. It was nicely kept with an assortment of treasures and trinkets neatly placed on shelves that gave the place a variety of colors. One opened cabinet held the silverware and dinner plates, many of which had a few chips but it didn't take away their natural shine.

A single table had an old and slightly torn up cloth over it and small empty crates with soft, fluffy pillows were used for chairs. Capper had several glass decorative bottles dangling from the ceiling which showered the room in a warm rainbow glow.

"Ooh! Kind of a roco-hobo-Bohemian-urban living hodgepodge." Nori said, using a word she remembered Rarity having used before.

"Apologies for the state of my litter box. I wasn't expecting guests." Capper said, already pouring hot steaming tea into the cups. He handed a few to Chi and Mai. They sipped it and were pleasantly surprised at how sweet it tasted.

Hiro places his hands into his pockets, admiring a very expensive looking vase on the table. He whistled, impressed. "Swanky!"

Chrysalis zipped on by, her green eyes sparkling as she studied the designs of the vase. "Whoa! The broad strokes of the corners are the ideal replication of authentic old style Deco-Vaue!"

Capper's green eyes widened, his ears perking upwards. One of his ears had a small bit cut off. "Wait. You know old style Deco-Vaue?"

"Probably one of the few alive who still does. Hardly anyone does it in this shape anymore." Chrysalis said, her insect wings flapping rapidly with excitement and she zipped towards a portrait of what appeared to be a white colored feline sitting on a soft velvet pillow. The image had no direct outlines and instead looked as it the entire thing was made by precisely placed brush splashes.

"Splash style brush painting?!" Chrysalis gasped loudly, "And cranberry juice for perfect shadow effect! I recognize that trick anywhere!"

"Wow. You really know your stuff." Capper said, genuinely impressed by the insect-equine's enthusiasm for the world of art.

"Where did you find all of this?"

"Actually, I, uh…" Capper scratched the back of his neck nervously. "I… made them myself."

Chrysalis's eyes grew wider than they had ever been and she gained up on Capper, their noses practically touching. "Get. Out. Seriously!?"

"Well, aside from being a collector, I do dapple in a little art myself from time to time."

"Dude! You have got to tell me where you learned old style Deco-Vaue! Even I can't get those strokes right. Everybody else keeps saying 'it looks fine', yeah sure, but not Deco-Vaue fine, you know what I mean?"

"I totally understand where you're coming from!" Capper said, his eagerness matching Chrysalis's own. His whispers rose up once he realized what he just said. He… he had never said that to anyone before. And… he had never found anyone who got his art the way he did. This was something he normally kept to himself, since nobody else in Klugetown would ever understand.

Hozu leaned against a book shelf as he watched the two continue talking about art. He kept his eyes on Capper, noticing the shift from a beguiling singing and dancing fellow into an all out excited little kid talking about his favorite toy.

"You know, I'm actually really surprised you decided stick around." Iris said, drawing Hozu's attention away from Capper, who was already searching an old box and pulled out a sketchbook for Chrysalis to see. He could hear the buzzing of her wings from where he stood.

Iris and Akari had already gotten to work on searching for anything related to the hippogriffs by looking at various books on a shelf.

"Considering how desperate you were to get away."

"W-Well, technically, you said only after you found what you were looking for. You still haven't so… "

"So, now you want to follow the rules?" Iris said, once again, mimicking that smug grin of his. Hozu thought he was the one who was good at pushing her buttons, but it would appear this 'pampered princess' was equally good at getting under his skin as well. She was stubborn and self-assured to the point of being unbendable. But, her family was in danger, but it would make sense for her to be this steadfast in her quest.

"Hey, I don't follow anyone!" Hozu stated, glaring at Iris as if she had just insulted him. Akari flew up to his face, with a book in her hooves.

"Well, since you're here, mind making yourself useful and help us look?" The pink alicorn princess shoved the book against his chest, so hard it knocked the wind right out of him. "You were here before, so let us know is anything triggers your memory." Akari said before flying off to the upper part of the book shelf.

"And if you don't want to… door's right over there." Iris gestures towards the wooden door on the floor with a somewhat knowing tone. Looking at her face, Hozu had a feeling she could easily predict his decision. She was definitely the daughter of a police officer, no doubt using both the 'good-cop/bad-cop' routine to get what she wanted.

The best thing for Hozu, for all of them really, would be if he left right now and never looked back. Go back to his carefree life and pretend none of this ever happened. The Storm King can be their problem, not his. He never asked to get involved in this whole epic adventure, so he had no obligations to stay. The princess was letting him go, so he should go… right?

Hozu wanted to will his legs to take him out of this water mill, but the sinking suspicion about Capper still lingered. Maybe he was wrong and these guys would be perfectly fine. They'll find the Queen of the Hippogriffs and head back home. And, if Capper was a crook? But then, what could Hozu do about it? And why would he care? He wasn't supposed to care. He didn't care.

Hozu let out a growling sigh, rubbing the bridge of his nose and bite his tongue inside his mouth. If he was debating about this so much, it could only mean one thing...

"Fine." The white-haired young man got to work in searching the shelf.

Iris couldn't stop the satisfied smile that formed across her lips. If he really didn't care, he would have left without caring on wether or not Capper was just as greedy as the rest of the Klugetown population. Maybe Nori was right and he wasn't as bad as she originally thought.

"Where did you learn that?" Hozu asked suddenly as he and Iris searched the shelves, picking out random books and flipping through the pages.

"Learn what?"

"What you did back there with those thugs. That's street fighter moves, where does a princess learn to street fight?"

"From my dad."

Hozu blinked and shook his head in disbelief. "No."

"I'm serious."

"Your dad? King Mako? The poster guy for law and order taught you how to street fight?"

Iris rolled her eyes. "He wasn't always a king, you know. Before he married my mom, dad used to live as a street-rat." she explained as she continued flipping through the pages. She could feel Hozu's startled expression from the corner of her eye. "His parents were killed by a firebender when he was eight so he spent ten years taking care of himself and his younger brother."

"Before her met your mom, right?"

"Yeah. But, Mom wasn't always a queen either."

"Obviously. She got her wings after she created that portal that interlinked the two worlds."

"Yes, but before that, mom grew up in a compound in the south pole, guarded by the White Lotus."

"That doesn't sound too bad. Aren't compounds nice looking?"

"Nice looking, yes. Pleasant… not even close. My mom hated it there. All she did was train and train. She didn't have any friends until she moved to Republic City when she was around my age."

Hozu placed the last book he was looking into back onto the shelf, his startled eyes not once leaving Iris. "But, she's the Queen of Friendship, isn't she like the most well known expert on the subject?"

"Yeah, but she wasn't always like that. Just as my dad wasn't always the chief of police."

"What about you?"

"What about me?"

"Were you always the Princess of Friendship/Avatar hero everyone says you are?"

Iris's hand hovered over another book, but her focus was more on Hozu's question than what was inside the pages. "I was born a princess. And an alicorn, and an Avatar. But, I wasn't always a hero. Heck, I didn't even know I had Avatar powers until a few years back. Mom and dad taught me everything I know. I wouldn't be where I am now if it wasn't for them."

"So, I wasn't entirely off base, was I?" Hozu said with a somewhat monotone voice. It sounded almost envious. "You really did have a squeaky clean upbringing."

Iris's brows furrowed and the hand that hovered over the book rolled up into a full blown fist. "You're just full of it, aren't you?" Iris's voice didn't rise, but it was firm and strong enough for only Hozu to hear as she stepped closer. She spoke through gritted teeth. "You think you've got me all figured out, but you know nothing about me! I may not have grown up on the streets or in a gilded cage but that's only because my parents have done everything to make sure I grew up with my family and friends! They've sacrificed everything for me, and now I'm going to do everything I can to save them! But you don't seem to comprehend that, do you?"

"Well not everyone can be as lucky as you!"

Iris's eyes widened and softened at Hozu's sudden confession, but she wasn't anymore startled than Hozu was. He hadn't expected on admitting something so personal, especially to someone he just met. Iris now understand why Hozu was so distant, or at least he tried to be.

Unlike Iris and the rest of her friends… Hozu didn't have anyone. She had suspected it, but she didn't want to make too much of an assumption, and she didn't want to bring it up because she knew how personal that kind of topic was. Her father dealt with troublesome orphans all the time, so she understood that much.

Iris wouldn't go so far as to call her upbringing "squeaky clean", after all she did spent a big part of her early teen years wanting to follow in her mother's footsteps and being unsure of herself. That wasn't a pleasant feeling. Not to mention she allowed her desire to be a hero cloud her judgment and she placed her friends in danger back at the Dark Spirit Realm. But, she was in no place to say she had it worse than Hozu did. She had friends, she had a family, she had more freedom to go out and discover herself outside of the Avatar name. But Hozu… who knows how long he had been on his own.

She said he didn't know anything about her, but truth be told, she didn't know anything about him either.

The white-haired young man turned his eyes away. "I'm sorry." Hozu said, handing her another book to search. "Your parents sound like amazing people."

Iris took the book in her hand, tracing her fingers over its surface. "Thanks."

The conversation ended right then and there and the two continued to search the books again. As they were talking, Akari had silently been listening. A lump was caught in her throat when she saw the way Iris was looking at Hozu.

(~)

Escape from Klugetown

*(~)*

Colossians 1:10 ~

Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.

*(~)*

Escape from Klugetown

Tempest Shadow confidently trotted through the streets of Klugetown, unfazed by the the storm creatures tearing across the various vendor booths, smashing everything in their wake. They interrogated various creatures, who frightfully denied any knowledge.

A sharp-like creature with a long neck cowered in fear, "Please! Please! I don't know anything!" He screamed as the storm creature ferociously tossed his merchandise from the stand. He wasn't satisfied with the poor vendor's responce.

Grubber walked right behind Tempest, muting on a caramel apple. "You really think those princesses got this far?" He asked after swallowing the bit of food in his mouth.

Tempest stopped and sniffed the air, seeing a green strand of hair stuck in a jagged piece of wooden fence. It still carried the scent of pony, with a hint of a very expensive shampoo.

"Oh, they're here." Tempest smiled. She stood in the center of the plaza. The storm creatures stopped their savage raging on the citizens and she addressed the crowd.

"Attention! A little pink pony and a human girl with wings passed this way. Tell me where they are..."

"Or something real bad's gonna happen." Grubber added, waving his half bitten caramel apple at the people. The same fish creature from before stomped towards the two. Grubber squeaked in terror and reeled away while Tempest stared stoically.

"You think we're gonna fall for this again? I don't know what kinda scam you're working with Capper and the rest of your friends, but--"

"Friends?" Tempest added, cutting him off. So, it would appear the Princesses hadn't traveled alone after all. And, they somehow managed to rope someone into their little game. And here Tempest thought this was going to be boring.

"Poison or no poison, you're gonna pay!" The fish creature came at Tempest, ready to yank what was left of her already broken horn right off of her head. She ducked his punch and kicked him in the stomach with her back leg, pushing him back. Tempest then tripped him and grabbed hold of his large tail fin with her mouth. She leaped into the air, carrying the creature who was twice her size along with her and while in mid air she threw him to the ground.

Tempest landed gracefully on her hooves, while the fish creature laid disoriented, his tongue sticking out and he groaned in pain.

"Ohhhh, fish-man just got dropped!" Grubber cheered, clapping his stubby paws enthusiastically. He loved nothing more than to praise Tempest for her awesomeness.

The pony stepped on the creature's back, her horn charging up with blue colored electrical energy, her eyes staring sinisterly into his own. The fish-creature whimpered in fear

"Now… about this "Capper"…"

(~)

Akari withheld the urge to groan. While she and Iris--and to a lesser extent, Hozu--were looking for clues on the Hippogriffs, the rest of the guardians had somehow ended up chatting and laughing with Capper. Mai sat on a pillow covered crate, happily observing Capper playing with the games on her geo-slate while laying on his bed.

"Stop playin' me! You invented this with a bunch of magical rocks?"

"Magical rocks, intricately designed wire placement, mathematically accurate geometric design, and a paper clip. The paper clip was more of a happy accident."

"Dang! I ain't never seen anything like this." Capper handed it back to her, then turned to Chi. "And you can actually turn into a wolf? Please, that's not a real thing." he said as he got up from his bed. "Is that a real thing?"

"I'll show ya!" Chi got up, ready to transform, but Capper quickly stopped her, looking rather terrified.

"Naw-naw-naw, I don't need you "wolfin' it up" up in my place, thank you very much."

Capper was startled by a few little levitating pearls that had suddenly appeared in front of him. "Whoa, hey, hold up now." The pearls suddenly grabbed the end of his sleeve, which was already coming off, while a few other pearls floated on by, carrying a spool with red thread and a needle. The needle stitched his sleeve back together.

Nori trotted on over, mentally manipulating the pearls she had created to levitate the objects. The pearls held the spool and needle like mini force fields. Once she was done, she merged a few more pearls together and placed them onto Capper's jacket, willing them to change from white to sterling gold.

Nori could not only make force fields with pearls, but use them for various other properties as well, and even get them to change colors. Of course, that only worked with the pearls she herself created, not with actual pearls.

"Here you go. I do apologize. If we were back home, I bet my mom could've done something really fabulous."

Capper stared at the newly transformed buttons on his old jacket. It was old and worn, with lazily made stitches and patched on the side. And yet, the small touche Nori just did made it look more new than it ever had in years.

Capper rose a brow, "Okay… What's the catch?"

Nori tilted her head curiously. "Nothing. After all that you've done for us, consider it a "thank you"."

Capper's ears perked up, but not with interest, with confusion. Did this little pony really just do something for him, and for no reason other than to show how grateful she was? Nobody in Klugetown had ever done anything like that before.

The sound of broken glass falling onto the floor made Capper flinch. Chrysalis hovered over it, her tail close to her stomach. "Oh, my gosh! I'm so sorry, I didn't see that there!"

"No, no, it's fine." Capper walked on over to collect the materials that had fallen out of an old sack. "Just some trash I've been meaning to throw out."

As he picked up the fallen trash, Chrysalis caught sight of a few shards of broken bottles. It was faint, but she also saw a glimpse of something within the glass.

"No, wait! Hold on a second." Chrysalis placed her hoof over Capper's chest, gently pushing him back for her to get a better look. Using her tail, Chrysalis collected all of the broken pieces of the multicolored glass bottles and flew over to one of his tables near the window.

"Hey, hey, don't be doin' that!" Capper cried out, failing to stop the changeling from doing whatever it was she was doing. His apartment might not be the richest looking place, but he did like keeping it nice and clean.

Chrysalis flew around, placing the broken pieces in a precise manner. Her eyes were intense and focused. She looked around and smiled gleefully when she spotted a small empty tiny vase and placed the broken bottle pieces into it. It wasn't deep, so they stuck out. Capper cocked his head in confusion. The pieces looked jagged and uneven. Why was she so interested in organizing them anyway?

With one eye closed, Chrysalis gently pushed the little vase a few inches to the north where the broken bottle shards captured the sunlight.

What happened next took Capper's breath away.

Integrated into the glass bottles were tiny yellow cat-paw prints and various foreign symbols he remembered seeing when he was only a small kitten. Memories of when he would dreamingly gaze at his home town's beautiful stain glass windows of the richest families flooded back into his mind. His ears went back, but more out of wonder than anything else. He could almost feel the tears starting to form. His ceiling was covered in those designs that danced alongside the moving rays of the near setting sun outside.

Nori was just as taken back by the dazzling display as he was, and Chrysalis smiled with satisfaction. She had a hunch something like this would happen. She noticed the look on her host's face.

"Capper, you okay?"

"It's… it's just like back home." Capper said, his voice barely a whisper, never once taking his eyes off of the ceiling.

"Wait. You're not from Klugetown?"

Capper blinked, slowly turning his eyes towards Chrysalis. The lighting was caught in her wings, making them sparkle like stars… her eyes were like two pure emerald gemstones.

"Well, no. The Storm King wrecked my home a few years back." Capper turned away sadly. Looking at the beauty of his past had somehow compelled him to admit this truth to her. He didn't need to continue, Chrysalis could connect the dots herself. Capper came to Kluegtown while he was fleeing from the Storm King's army.

"Capper, I'm so sorry."

The cat wiped his eyes with the sleeves of his jacket, cleaning the tears before they ever had a chance to come out. He sniffed, though he had a hunch she heard it. He forced himself to smile.

"It's fine. I never had a family to begin with anyways so… no attachments to weigh me down, you know." Capper tried to sound optimistic, but failed to mask his pain.

Chrysalis flew up to him, now face to face, placing her hoof on his shoulder and gently turned him to look at the broken pieces of bottles that sparkled like precious jewels in the sunlight.

"Just because something's broken… doesn't mean it should be thrown away."

Capper let her words sink in. She sounded so sure of that. She saw something beautiful in those broken bottles, and to think he was about to throw them out. If he had, he never would have been able to see his home one last time.

He looked at the changeling, who seemed to sparkle as brightly and as colorful as the lights themselves.

"Now I know you ain't never been evil." Capper said with a genuinely kind smile. She had mentioned that she was once an evil queen who ruled her citizens with an iron hoof, but he just found it so hard to believe. How can someone so kind, creative and beautiful ever be evil?

"Well, I had some pretty amazing friends to teach me." Chrysalis lowered down next to Nori, wrapping her hoof around her. "They helped me see that I could be more than my past. I guess, that's why I love art so much. It's about recreation and finding beauty in anything, even if others don't see it themselves."

Capper's eyes shimmered. "Yeah… I totally agree."

Nori had to suck in her lips to keep herself from giggling like mad. Chrysalis had slowly removed her hoof from Nori's shoulder, turning away shyly. Her cheeks flustered, which matched the red on Capper's furry cheeks. The merpony was already shipping these two so hard.

Hozu watched the scene unfold. All suspicion he had about Capper had completely disappeared. Maybe he was wrong about him, and maybe… he was wrong about these Guardians.

"Guys! We found it!" Akari was flapping her wings so hard she did a double air flip inside the house. Chrysalis and Capper were startled by the sudden change in mood but quickly brushed their thoughts away to pay attention to Akari and Iris who placed an old map on the kitchen table. Everyone swarmed around them.

"It's really old and the words are a bit hard to read, but this is it! A genuine map towards the Hippogriffs!" Iris traced her fingers over the image, which depicted a tall mountain top, designed to resemble two closing wings, and two creatures were drawn on top, facing one another. They looked like pegasus ponies in anatomy, but had claws on their front hooves and feathers that resembled manes and tails. Their faces were horse-like, but their mussels were beak-shaped.

Capper's irises shrunk and his paws started to fidget. "Oh! Well, that's… great! Now, I guess the trouble now would be figuring out where they live, right?"

"Says here they're on the top of Mount Aris." Akari said, eyeing Capper rather suspiciously all of a sudden.

"You mean the mountain I saw through the telescope a few minutes ago?" Hiro pointed his thumb towards said telescope.

Akari speed towards it and looked through, spotting a tall mountain just off the coast to where they were. From normal view, it merged with the rest of the mountains far up ahead, but with the telescope she could almost partly make out the wing-like shape.

"It's there! If we leave now, we just might make it by morning!"

The rest of the guardians cheered victoriously. Chi did a couple flips in mid air and Mai and Hiro high fived each other. "We're home free, baby!" Gallant Steed cheered, raising his hoof into the air. Nori hugged Chrysalis, giggling with glee, but the changeling only shot a regretful look at Capper.

They were just starting to get to know each other and now they had to say goodbye. But, while Chrysalis looked disappointed, Capper looked downright terrified.

The cat let out a surprised cat growl when Iris gave him a surprised hug. No one had ever hugged him before. "Thank you, Capper. You have no idea how much this means to us."

Hozu looked dumbfounded. "Yeah… totally." It would appear he really was wrong about him. Hozu wasn't sure if to feel relieved or ashamed.

Iris then proceeded to affectionately scratch Capper's head as it he were an actual cat. He didn't shake the gesture away.

No one had ever hugged him before. No one had ever offered to fix his cloths and ask for nothing at all. No one had ever shared his secret interest in art before, or managed to recreate something from his childhood. Something he would have eventually forgotten all together had it not been for Chrysalis.

Chrysalis… what would she think of him once she found out? No, he couldn't do this to them. He looked at the clock on his wall. Time was running out, he had to work fast.

"Wait!" Capper exclaimed, his hairs standing on end as he blocked their path by pressing his back against the door. "You can't—you can't make it by y'allselves! You need an airship! And lucky for you, I can get you a ride. Let's go there right now! Fast. Like, yesterday, fast!" he said, looking more anxious than he did before.

Iris gently pushed him aside. "Thanks, but I think we can manage." She opened the door and stepped back in alarm to see a hideous looking naked mole rat in a ragged suit and top hat standing in front of them. He wore a pair of goggles and smiled at them with his hideously yellow teeth.

"Here's Verko!" The mole rat laughed as he made his way inside. "These kids better shoot rainbow lasers out their eyes if they're gonna settle your debt, Capper!" he pointed a claw at the cat and then gestured to a cage on wheels, being pulled by strange four-legged creatures behind him. "Brought the big cage. Let's load 'em up!"

The guardians and Hozu gasped at the revelation. Chrysalis's ears were pressed hard against her head as she stared at Capper with rage fueled eyes. "You were... You were going to sell us?"

Capper was at a loss for words. He didn't think it were possible but, seeing the furry and hurt in Chrysalis's eyes made him feel worse than anything he had ever done. He had committed plenty of crimes in the past and gotten out of them with ease using only his charms and wit.

But this?… Seeing the few people who had ever genuinely been nice to him just because they liked him now resent him for the lying con-artist he was… he couldn't be in anymore pain if he had clawed his own tail off.

"I knew it!" Hozu exclaimed, no longer feeling guilty for his earlier suspicion. "I knew there was something off about you! See, didn't I tell you guys?"

Mai rolled her eyes. "What do you want? A medal?"

"Hey, don't make this difficult or--" Verco was cut short when Mai, effortlessly stopped him from coming any closer by grabbing him by the snout.

"Alright, listen Stinko--"

"Verco!"

"Don't care. No one is going anywhere with you. So, if you want to keep this freakish excuse for a nose, you'll let us leave quietly."

The sound of faint sparking was heard outside, followed by the clopping of metallic hooves and a sinister chuckle. A familiar figure stepped into view, accompanied by the Storm King's troops and a short hedgehog. None of them could compare to the frighteningly wicked smile of the hon-horned unicorn.

"Silly little guardians."

"Tempest!" Akari exclaimed in terror. Normally she would be the first to be ready to attack an enemy, but this unicorn had managed to single handedly encase her family in stone and in anti-magical cages. Not to mention, even with her broken horn, Tempest was not a pony to be trifled with.

Tempest chuckled and shook her head in disapproval as she stepped into the place, sending a chilling glare at Capper's direction. "Trusting strangers? Big mistake. Big…"

"Huge!" Grubber added.

In seeing Tempest, Mai had released Verko's nose and stepped back, with Hiro protectively holding her arm. Verko dismissed the kids and focused his attention on the new pony. "Hoo-hoo! My goodness! Well, look at you!"

The mole rat grabbed Tempest by the face, squishing her cheeks around, all the while she glared at him, unamused and annoyed.

"With your scary broken horn and scowly eyes. What tricks do you know, my little pony-wony?"

So, it was tricks he wanted to see, was it? Well, since he asked so nicely.

Tempest stared menacingly as her horn charged up. The powerful electrical attack left Verko all black, his cloths burned and he coughed smoke from his lungs.

"Not bad…" he said weakly before passing out.

Seeing their chance, The Guardians, and even Hozu, all escaped through the window, climbing onto the windmill.

"Go! Go!" Iris shouted, tucking the map into her pocket and flew out. Tempest's horn sparkled once more in anger.

"Get them now!"

At her order, the storm creatures ran towards the window to try and capture the kids.

"You atta be scared now!" Grubber said, trying to sound intimidating.

(~)

Using their shapeshifting powers, Chi and Chrysalis turned into a pair of dragon birds, each with plumage that matched their respected colors. Chrysalis's were pale blue and yellow with green feathers and a yellow beak while Chi was all shades of blue and white. Akari, Iris and Gallant rode on Chi, while Mai, Hiro and Hozu rode on Chrysalis. Flapping their wings, the two flew as quickly as they could towards Mount Aris, towards the Queen of the Hippogriffs.

The storm creatures jumped out of the window and climbed towards the roof to see the kids flying off. Tempest ran out, her jaw clenching so hard her teeth almost shattered. The magical energy from her horn intensified. With precise timing, Tempest unleashed a powerful electrical blast at the guardians. The blast was faster than any of them had expected and Chrysalis took a hit.

The blast struck her feathered wing and she fell off course, hitting the side of a building. She was knocked unconscious, reverting back to her normal changeling form, while Mai, Hiro and Hozu screamed as they fell.

Just as Chi was about to swoop down and save them, something astonishing happened. Something that left even Tempest Shadow speechless.

Clouds began to form around the falling humans and changeling, almost completely out of thin air. They spiraled and grew, catching each of them before they hit the ground. Hiro held Mai, who in turn held an unconscious Chrysalis in her arms like an infant child. The only one who wasn't screaming was Hozu… who's irises were glowing an icy stormily blue color, along with the markings on his arms.

He stood up straight in mid air, the cloud rising them all up towards the blue dragon bird. Mai and Hiro were caught by Iris and Akari, while Hozu, panting from exhaustion, managed to grab onto Chi's tail. More lightning blasts came blasting out, but it wasn't from Tempest.

It was from the cloud that Hozu had created. It turned from a fluffy white to a stormy gray and expanded, covering only one area of the city, but the electrical strikes kept on coming. It had taken on a will of its own and went out of control.

Chi flew out of the way as quickly as she could, but one of the lightning strikes knocked her off course. Her body reverted back to her humanoid form and the kids landed on a jagged, elevated walkway, which started to collapse beneath their feet and hooves due to the lightning strike.

They should have been asking Hozu how in the world did he create a storm cloud or why his eyes were glowing and how the heck did the cloud suddenly go out of control, but their attention was focused more on getting away from the falling planks.

"Over there!" Chi called out, leading the others towards a window on the side of a building. The kids leaped right into it just as the last bit of the walkway fell apart. They ran inside and out the opening, where several other walkways jutted out to the side of a building and a massive airship was ported. It had the same shape as those of the Storm King, but this one had a bird-like figure at the front.

"There! To the docks!" Akari shouted, galloping ahead. The kids made a sharp turn at a corner and ran up the stairs that lead to the port. The airship was just about to leave. Using bits of her speed, Chi changed into her wolf form and grabbed the rope with her mouth. Mai quickly grabbed the end with her right hand, while still holding the unconscious Chrysalis in her left arm. Cementing her feet to the ground and using her super strength, Mai held the airship in place.

"Grab on!"

At Mai's instructions, Hiro, Hozu, Nori and Gallant each held onto the rope. With a nod, Mai loosened her grip and Chi flew up, while still in her wolf form, with each of the kids holding onto the rope, their feet dangling in mid air as Chi held the end securely and hoisted them onto the airship. Akari and Iris flew closely behind.

Hozu's eyes widened in fear when he saw sparks of electricity emitting from his fingertips. "No, no, no!"

The current traveled through the rope and struck Hiro's hand. He yelped in pain and unintentionally let go, screaming as he fell.

"Hiro!" Iris and Akari dove down after him, catching their friend before he was crushed by the sharp rocks bellow. Chi managed to drag the others safely on board while Akari and Iris each hoisted Hiro back onto the ship. They dropped him and the two landed, breathing heavily.

Hiro popped up excitedly and thrusted his fist into the air, exclaiming withe excitement, "Best... escape... plan... ever!"

"WHAT?!?!"

Before either Iris or Akari could protest, they were pulled by Chi, now back in her humanoid form, and hid behind a wall of cargo. Wooden crates that bore the Storm King's emblem were stacked on top of one another. The humans had hunched down and their pony companions stood low beside them. The crates hid them well enough, but they weren't alone.

Mai placed her fingers close to her mouth, shushing the two princesses as a couple more voices were heard.

"Did you hear something?" A masculine voice said, followed by another which sounded like a parrot squawking. "Eh, probably just the rats. If we find em… we'll eat em."

"Rats." Nori whispered, thought more as a form of saying 'drat!' rather than relating to the actual animal. Rats didn't bother her as much as they did Rarity, it was those mysterious creatures with the beaks that worried her most.

Once they were sure they were gone, The kids took this moment to breath deeply. Chrysalis stirred in Mai's arms, her eyes fluttering open. Mai told Chrysalis to keep her voice down. The changeling noticed her surroundings, her head already swarming with questions.

Hiro was rubbing his arms, still feeling the sting from that electrical shock. Iris inspected his hands, making sure no damage was done. They then turned their attention to Hozu, who sat curled up into a corner, hugging his legs tightly. Small sparks of energy still came from his fingers. Iris scooted closer and grabbed his wrists. He tried to fight her hold.

"Hozu, look at me. Look at me!" She demanded. Hozu's eyes were partly covered by his white bangs, his caramel eyes having turned an icy blue. They didn't look human, and that same fear she noticed back when those creatures were bidding on them had returned with fighting force.

Iris did the unexpected and gently removed his bangs from his eyes. "Breath. It's okay. We're okay. In and out. In and out." she said in a soothing voice.

Hozu, desperate to get the sparks to stop, did as she instructed. He breathed in and out, his heart rate catching up. The sparks slowly stopped and his eyes reverted back to normal. He the turned away, ashamed to even look at her.

Back at Klugetown, the storm clouds that stuck in only one location finally disappeared. It wasn't large enough to be considered a storm, it was just one angry cloud like what a pegasus pony could do. Only, the lightning was completely unstable.

(~)

It's time to be awesome!

*(~)*

Proverbs 31:9~

Open your mouth, judge righteously, and defend the rights of the afflicted and needy

*(~)*

It's Time to be Awesome!

Capper was thrown to the wooden surface of the docks, the shadow of Tempest looming over him. The cat felt his hairs stand on end in fear.

"Now… where are they going?" She asked, her horn charging up threateningly.

Capper got back up on his paws, dusting his jacket, trying to act confident and cool, but he could still feel the two storm creatures breathing down his neck from behind. "Okay. No need for violence. Uh, they're headed…"

Capper was just about to tell Tempest where the Guardians were going, that is until the sunlight hit one of the pearl buttons on his jacket, making it sparkle. He was reminded of Nori's generosity, how she had so sweetly fixed his jacket as best she could as a way to say thank you. Having those kids at his apartment wasn't at all what he had expected.

He actually… enjoyed their company. Hiro was a funny little guy, Mai was criminally smart and witty, Gallant Steed could go on for hours about the types of creatures they had back in their homeland of Equestria, Iris treated him as if they had known him for ages, and then were was Chrysalis.

Sweet, charming, beautiful Chrysalis. The girl who restored part of his beloved home. The girl who saw beauty even in the mustiest of places where he had nearly lost all hope of ever finding that beauty again. She wasn't just beautiful outside, but inside. When he looked into her eyes his stomach felt weird and his chest did a strange 'thump' sound. Seeing her so angry when they discovered his game was more painful than he dared to admit out loud.

If he told Tempest where they were, the kids wouldn't stand a chance. Tempest was known for being as merciless as her superior. He couldn't betray them again. Betray Chrysalis again. If he did, he would never be able to forgive himself. Capper was always so accustomed to looking out for himself, maybe it was time to look out for someone else. Someone who deserved it more than he did.

"They headed east! Yeah, to... to Black Skull Island." Capper finally said, pointing in the opposite direction as to where the kids were really going. Black Skull island was almost as far as Mount Aris, or at least it seemed that way, so it would give the kids enough time to get there and leave before Tempest found out anything. And, since Capper was a master at smooth-talking himself out of any situation, he was confident he could do the same now.

"So, uh, glad I could be of service to His Majesty, the Storm King. I'll just be on my way." Capper let out a cat-like yowl when the storm creatures blocked his path. This might be a lot harder than he had hoped.

"When I get my Princess." Said Tempest, much to Capper's dismay. "Until then, your fate is still... up in the air."

Grubber laughed, "Oh, you're gonna go in the ship! Which is a boat! Theoretically, an air-boat!" he taunted. "We make a great team." Grubber said to Tempest as they boarded the ship. "I love it how you said his fate was "up in the air", and then I said, "you're gonna be in the air on an air-boat!"

Capper was forced to follow by the storm creatures. He hung his head as he did. Getting out of this situation was going to her harder than he thought.

At least he would know that Chrysalis and the others would be alright. She deserved to live and spread beauty to a world that desperately needed it.

She certainly brought that same beauty back into his life, even if it was short lived.

(~)

The sun had long since set and the moon and stars were already high in the sky. The kids had managed to keep themselves hidden long enough in the cargo hold, but they still weren't sure where they were heading. They concluded that the airship was one of the Storm King's judging by the emblem everywhere on the crates and various Storm King themed merchandise. So getting whoever was stirring the ship to help them was not going to be an easy task.

Hiro looking into the boxes, finding nothing but Storm King bottle heads, Storm King action figures, Storm King shampoo bottles and Storm King toilet seat warmers. The earthbender rolled his eyes and sighed as he tossed them away.

"Hiro! Would you stop touching that stuff!" Akari snapped.

"I'm sorry, I'm bored!"

"Shush! Keep your voices down." Iris said. She and Chi gently lifted the cargo's floor door only an inch enough for them to see whoever it was that was working on the ship.

They saw these bird-like creatures with bird-like claws and feet and no wings on either their backs or arms, but they were definitely birds judging by their beaks and feathery bodies. They also, for some reason, had long reptilian-like tails. Still no stranger than the chimera spirit creatures back home.

They also wore black uniforms with the Storm King's symbol on them. They worked back and forth, moving crates from one place to another. One belched loudly and scratched his butt. Iris felt sick to her stomach and Chi cringed in disgust before closing the door carefully.

"What do you think?" Nori asked. "Should we just... ask them to take us?"

"Last time we trusted someone, he tried to sell us!" Mai pointed out. Beside her, Chrysalis lowered her ears in disappointment.

She was still bitter about having trusted Capper. She really thought he was a nice guy and that they had a lot in common, but it turned out to be all a lie. Maybe he could have changed, but it was too late to know now. No doubt she would probably never see him again.

"Then what are we supposed to do?" Gallant said, "We can't just hide in here forever. We could be going off course for all we know."

"Plus they're working for the Storm King." Akari said, narrowing her eyes. "We can't trust them."

Every time she heard that name; 'Storm King' this, and 'Storm King' that, it made her feathers ruffle and her horn burn with blue fire. They had yet to even meet him and the villain was already becoming a serious thorn on her flank. He was the reason why they were out here to begin with. The reason Tempest turned her mother to stone on their special day. She swore, no matter what it took, that Storm King was going to regret he ever messed with them.

"They're not the only ones." Mai said bitterly, her eyes falling upon Hozu. The entire time, he was silent, frozen in the same curled up position, not speaking or looking at anyone. He only looked at them when he felt Mai's cold eyes upon him.

"How in the name of Celestia did you do that?" The youngest Sato sibling asked demandingly.

"Mai, calm down." Iris said, trying to keep the two from starting an argument which could blow their cover.

"Calm down? The guy created a storm cloud which almost killed us and you want me to calm down?!"

"I wouldn't raise my voice if I were you." Hozu said, his voice cold and distant, but also unafraid.

"Don't get smart with me, frost tips! My brother almost got killed because of you!"

Hozu got up from where he sat, his anger flaring. "I never asked to be a part of this! You're the ones who roped me into your little quest!"

"Oh, so now you're blaming us? You could have left the minute Iris let you go!"

"Or maybe you should have just left me in the desert!"

"Maybe we should have!"

"Both of you STOP!" Iris quickly covered her mouth, realizing her stupid slip up the second the last letter left her mouth.

The kids gasped when the cargo door opened up and one of the bird creatures, a large green colored bird man with big muscles and wearing a hat towered over them. His right claw was missing, replaced with a single golden band.

"Hey, guys! Come check this out!"

Another bird, wearing a similar hat stepped over beside his companion, kneeling on one knee. His yellow eye, surrounded by red and yellow circles, studied them. His right eye was covered by an eyepatch and red feathers stretched from the back of his hat.

"Looks like a pack of stowaways."

"What are we s'posed to do with 'em?" Another bird asked, clearly female, overweight with pinkish feathered and rubbing her chin with a fork.

Another bird poked his head. The top of his beak was replaced with a metallic version, no doubt due to an accident, and his eyes were unfocused, with one eye having the iris rolling around whenever he moved. Rather than speak, he squawked like an actual parrot. Despite his appearance, he looked just as eager to do harm to the kids as the other birds did.

"I think we tie 'em up!" The muscular one said.

"We clip their wings!" The pink, plump female said, staring at Akari and Iris.

"Nah. We scar 'em…" Said the red-feathered bird, "…emotionally!" his eyes landed on Hozu, who looked genuinely frightened. For a guy who liked to act aloof an carefree, he certainly wasn't someone who was eager to be a part of any of this. He wanted out from the beginning, but now he was stuck until further notice. Mai was right, he should have left when he had the chance.

"Wai-wai-wai-wait. What say the book, Captain Celaeno?"

Another bird creature walked onto the front. A female, but unlike the other one, she was tall and slender, almost like a human woman. Her plumage was of a light creamy color and had beautiful light yellow green plumage on her head and tail. Like the others, she had bird-like feet, but one was missing, replaced by a wooden peg-leg. She wore the same uniform as the others and a black bandana over her head, which partly hid her lovely feathers. She had a single beauty mark underneath her left eye, and her eyes were a vibrant, rose colored pink.

But, as lovely as she looked, she had a look on her face that was far from friendly. She pulled out a rule book with the Storm King's symbol on the cover. She opened it on one page and read aloud. Her voice was low and ominous.

"Storm King's rule book says… Throw them overboard."

The green, red-feathered bird with an eye patch yanked on a rope and a wooden plank rolled out to the side of the ship. The bird creatures all gathered around, ready to grab the kids by force. Rather than be terrified, they prepared themselves to fight back. There was no way that they were going to get thrown off this ship. No way, no how!

The sound of a loud union whistle blew and the female bird, Captain Celaeno, shouted at the top of her lungs.

"All right! That's dinner!"

(~)

"What?!"

Iris and Akari stared at one another, puzzled by the sudden change in dynamic between the kids and the birds. Akari looked over at Gallant from the other side of the table, who shrugged his shoulders in confusion. They were being… nice now?

The kids were dragged out the cargo hold, but rather than get thrown overboard, the bird creatures… politely led them to the dinning room where they sat down. Without saying a word, the birds handed each of the kids a silver tin plate and the pink feathered bird dropped a slop of green colored gruel with bird seeds and… what looked like little strands of hair, onto their plates.

The birds munched on their food, while the kids only stared at the disturbing gruel before them. Chrysalis saw some hint of bugs inside the slop and, seeing as small bugs were part of the changeling diet, she was the only one who dared to take a bit. She immediately regretted it and inconspicuously spit it back into the plate. Her tongue stuck out and she tried to wipe it clean with an old napkin.

Chi looked back and forth between herself, the food, her friends and the birds. "Whoa whoa whoa, hold the phone! You were just about to toss us overboard and you stopped for a dinner break?"

Akari quickly shot Chi an angry glare, a way to tell her to keep her mouth shut. They just narrowly escaped being forced off the ship, she did not need the wisp making things worse.

"Storm King only allows two breaks a day for meals, then it's back to hauling goods." said the muscular green colored bird with only one hand.

"So you're delivery guys?" Gallant asked.

"And gals." Celaeno added, tugging at her hideous shirt. "These uniforms aren't exactly doing us any favors."

"Then can you deliver us to Mount Aris?" Akari asked with a friendly smile as she levitated the map.

Celaeno sighed, tapping the cover of the rule book with her claws. "Sorry. We do what the Storm King orders or we suffer his wrath." She said. She didn't sound angry or even excited about the whole thing, she just sounded… exhausted.

Akari's ears dropped in irritation. "Right. Still going overboard."

"Eh, it's nothing personal." said the female pink bird, "Want some pudding?"

"There's pudding?" Nori asked excitedly. Her ears dropped in disappointment when she found out that the 'pudding' was just a more jiggly version of the same slop they were already eating. "Uh, on second thought, I don't need the extra calories."

"How long have you been working for the Storm King?" Iris asked. These birds didn't look so dangerous, not anymore. They looked depressed and drained emotionally. Who knows what that monster did to force these creatures into this kind of job. A job they plainly didn't enjoy in the slightest.

"Five years." said the red feathered bird, chewing on his food with disinterest. "Though, we ain't never seen folks like you before."

"We're from pretty far away." Hiro said. "I don't think we properly met. My name's Hiro. That's my sister Mai, my cousin Iris, that's Gallant Steed, Chi, Akari, Nori, Chrysalis and this is Hozu."

"Celaeno." The captain said, gesturing to herself. "That's Boyle, Mullet, Lix Spittle, and Squabble." She gestured to the one clawed muscular bird, the red-feathered one, the female pink one and the one with the unfocused eyes.

"Not like it matters." Calaeno said sadly. She munched on her food, her eyes dull and gray.

"If you weren't always delivery birds, then what were you before the Storm King?" Chi asked, more interested in knowing what happened to these guys.

The birds froze in place. Boyle's mouth hung open, just about to stick the spoonful of slop into his beak. Celaeno let her spoon sink into her food.

"That's none of your business."

Iris looked up to the poster of the storm king right behind Celaeno, over a torn up black sheet. Sticking out from the side of the poster, Iris saw something else. It was white and when she moved just a bit further back, she could see the rest of it hidden underneath the poster. The star on her forehead glowed and she willed the poster to be listed upwards, revealing the rest of the torn black piece of cloth, which was revealed to be an old and worn out flag.

"Hey! I met that guy in the desert!" Hiro pointed at the image, causing Celaeno to gasp and look behind her. The poster was glowing purple and lifted upwards, revealing the bird-skull with crossbones imprinted on the flag.

Chi's eyes widened, "Whoa! You used to be… Pirates?! No way!"

"Um, we prefer the term "swashbuckling treasure hunters"." Mullet said.

"So, pirates." said Chi. Squabble squawked in reply.

Celaeno rose from her chair and forced the poster back down. Iris stopped her magic the moment she saw the bird-woman's furry field eyes land on her.

"That was a long time ago! Like I said, it's none of your business!"

"But, why would you leave behind a life of adventure for… this?" Chi gestured to the entire room, which was filled with all kinds of junk, all with the Storm King's symbol on them. There were even scratch marks on the walls, a few crossed out, evidence that they have been counting the days from day one.

"You wouldn't understand." Celaeno said, clenching her claws in irritation.

"Try me." Chi folded her arms, leaning back against her chair, waiting for Celaeno to speak. When she wouldn't, Mullet spoke for her. The two seemed to be pretty close.

"We used to be the most fearsome sky pirates there ever were." He began. "But one day, we had out loot stolen by the Storm King's guards. He went back to get it, but the Storm King proved to be stronger than any of us. He threatened our Captain's life. We offered to work for him in order to spare her."

"Of course, Celaeno couldn't bare to leave us." Said Lix Spittle sympathetically. "She made a deal with the Storm King. If she worked for him, then we would all be spared."

"He swore that he would make our lives miserable if we ever defied him again." Boyle said, his feathers dropping sadly.

The kids were silent. Chi's eyes softened, her heart breaking bit by bit upon hearing their story. They didn't take this job out of cowardice, but out of true bravery… to spare the life of their captain, who stayed with them so that she wouldn't lose them. They weren't just a pirate crew, they were family.

"I'm so sorry." Chi said. "That was very noble of you all."

Celaeno sniffed, wiping away the tear that never came to be. "Like I said, that was a long time ago."

"But, you don't have to keep living like this." Chi said, standing up from her chair, grabbing everyone's attention. "This may be hard for you to believe but, we're on our way to find the Queen of the Hippogriffs, she may have a way to defeat him."

"The Hippogriffs are a myth. You're wasting your time."

"And you're wasting your life away working for that tyrant!"

"We have no choice!"

"There is always a choice!" Chi snapped back, slamming her fist onto the table. "You're not alone in this fight anymore. We can help you."

"What makes you think you have the power to help us?"

"It's what we do. We help new friends out, but you have to take the first step. You can let some cloven-hoofed Storm King tell you how to live your lives, or…" Chi swooshed towards the Storm King's poster and ripped it off, revealing the pirate flag again. "…you could be awesome again!"

Hozu spoke up, "Uh, Chi, is now really a good time for a—"

Chi:

I know the world can get you down

"—song?" Hozu face palmed himself. This was going to be a loooong trip.

Chi:

Things don't work out quite the way that you thought

Feeling like all your best days are done

Your fears and doubts are all you've got

Chi stood on the table, singing to the pirates, empathizing with them. She knew better than anyone how it felt like to have your spirits squashed. She had spent years living with Nova, seeing his struggle, but she also knew for a fact that there was always hope. Always a light at the end of the tunnel. You just needed to be brave enough to find it.

But there's a light shining deep inside

Beneath those fears and doubts, so just squash 'em

And let it shine for all the world to see

That it is time

Yeah, time to be awesome

Chi speed around, removing a large blanket that covered up all of the pirates's old treasures, and even a portrait of Celaeno in all her former glory. Her eyes were bright and fearless, even as a painting.

The rest of the crew hadn't seen their beloved treasures in so long. They seemed to brighten up the room--and their hearts--in a way that felt like a distant memory.

Could it be possible that they could rekindle that adventurous spirit they once had? They thought the Storm King had stolen it, but as the guardians clapped their hands and stomped the table in a rhythmic fashion, the birds couldn't resist joining in.

Even Akari, who was unsure at first--still thinking about how they were going to get to Mount Aris--couldn't resist the joviality of the song, and its message about being adventurous and bold. It took her back to her childhood of exploring the Everfree Forest with her friends, galloping wild and free. She joined in the fun, but Hozu silently made his way out, uninterested in the merriment.

Guardians:

Ah, ah, ah-ah, awesome!

It's time to be so awesome!

Ah, ah, ah-ah, awesome!

It's time to be so awesome!

Celaeno tried to resist the toe-tapping rhythm by closing her eyes shut. When that didn't work, she angrily swatted her plate away, looking at the picture of her former self. It had been so long, how could she possibly be that Captain again? Could she really defy the Storm King? What would he do to her crew if she did?

Celaeno:

You've no idea how hard it's been

Guardians:

It's time to be awesome!

Celaeno:

This dull routine we've been forced to do

Chi:

Don't let them rob you of who you are

Be awesome, it's all up to you

Chi appeared before her, handing her her old captain's hat, still bright and new as the day she hung it up for what she thought was for good. It felt so good to have the fabric against her claws again. Chi and the other Guardians sang alongside the birds. She had never seen them so happy before. They were regaining their spirits back, and all thanks to these kind children who wanted to help them, even after they had tried to throw them overboard.

It had been so long since Celaeno had seen genuine kindness and loyalty be displayed like this. Maybe she could start over. Maybe, they could all start over. Maybe it was time to stop being afraid and take back what the Storm King took from them.

Celaeno:

I feel the light

Stirring deep inside

It's like a tale still yet to be told

Chi and Celaeno:

And now it's time to break the shackles free

And start living like the brave and the bold!

Celaeno put on her captain's hat and a electrifying sensation ran across her body. Five years of oppression and fear melted away as she and the rest of her crew tossed aside their hideous uniforms and put on their old pirate gear. Boyle laughed as he stuck his hook back onto his handless band.

Even the Guardians put on a few pirate accessories. Iris and Akari wore matching pirate captain hats with crossbones, while Hiro had an eyepatch and bandana around his head. Nori found a lovely pirate's hat with an elegant feather, adorning the edges with her pearls. Mai found an old sword and Gallant put on a headband and pirate jacket, which Akari found rather dashing on him. Chrysalis even found an eyepatch of her own, splashing a bit of paint to give it that extra color.

Before long, the once miserable delivery birds had transformed entirely into the swashbuckling pirates they once were. Celaeno swung her sword and she and her crew bursted through the doors, ready to take back their ship.

All:

It's time to be

Awesome!

Let loose, be true

So awesome!

It's time to be

Awesome!

Go big, be you

So awesome!

Mullet took Chi by the hand, swinging alongside her on a rope, feeling the wind in his feathers. Lix Spittle helped the princesses chart their course for Mount Aris, with Hiro placing a pirate's hat on Hozu's head, who leaned against a stacked pile of cargo, looking uncharacteristically stoic throughout the whole thing. Boyle tossed Celaeno an old trunk of treasures and she pulled out a single diamond and a pearl necklace, which she happily gave to Nori as a gift.

Mullet:

We used to soar through the clouds in the skies

Lix Spittle:

Elaborate schemes we would love to devise

Boyle:

We rescued our treasure and stored it away

Celaeno:

Saving those gemstones for a rainy day

All:

We see that light filling up our skies

Chi:

So take the Storm King's orders and toss 'em!

Chi made her point by taking the old rule book and throwing it overboard instead of her and her friends.

All:

'Cause it's the time to let our colors fly

Celaeno:

Hey, scallywags, it's time to be

Awesome!

Hiro started drumming on a few crates as if they were drums, while the rest of the crew sang. Even Squabble even joined in by drumming… with his head. Though, it didn't seem to hurt him.

All:

Hey!

"Come on! Let's show these Guardians how it's done!" Celaeno took the wheel, feeling the wind in her feathers once more. The crew pulled on several ropes and the sides of the ship opened. Steam puffed out and the rest of the front port opened up like the petals of a flower blossoming in spring. The rays of the full moon broke through the clouds, radiating like diamonds which were caught on the sails that emerged from the sides of the ship, puffing up into place, traces of dust flew out.

The sails were styled one on top of the other to resemble bird wings, all with the radiant colors of the rainbow! The wind picked up, making them flap beautifully. Even in the nighttime light, the wings carried the sun-like glow of revival that reflected the lost spirits of the bird pirates themselves.

The children stared in wonder, even Hozu was astonished at the sight. All it took was a song and dance to make this happen? The pirates were miserable before, and now their ship looked like a rainbow bird that had just broken out of its cage and was soaring free through the skies at long last.

The birds never thought they'd ever see their ship like this again. They weren't Storm King delivery birds anymore. They were pirates. They were free. They were…

"Awesome!"

Chi hugged Celaeno, much to her surprise, but the pirate bird welcomed the gesture. "I knew you had it in you! And now for the finishing touch! Iris?"

The Avatar Princess nodded and flapped her wings, creating a gust of wind in the process. She flew around the sails, moving her hands in swift movements, creating streams of fire that sparkled like dewdrops and changed colors to reflect those of the sails. Rather than the flames burning through, they became attached to the sails, creating a liquid-like surface effect on the wings, reflecting the stars in the sky, making them sparkle.

It was no Sonic Rainboom, but it was still a breath taking effect. Rainbow Dash would have been so proud.

The pirates cheered, tossing their hats into the air as Iris landed. She was immediately swarmed by pirate birds who hoisted her and the others up, throwing them in the air in celebration. Hozu stood by, the wind catching his bangs as he watched the Guardians be welcomed into their pirate family. A small smile dared to form across his lips.

Celaeno turned the wheel in the other direction. "Next stop, Mount Aris!"

(~)

Hozu's secret

*(~)*

Isaiah 40:30-31 ~

Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

*(~)*

Hozu's secret

The effects Iris did on the ship's sails still lingered, reflecting the stars of the night sky. Hozu leaned against the side of the railing, looking out at the sea of clouds bellow him. He thought flying on an airship would be similar to sailing on a normal ship at sea, but this was entirely different.

The sounds of laughter and glasses clanging made him jolt in alarm, only for the sound to be silenced after Iris closed the door behind her.

"Hey, you're missing out on all the fun. Lix Spittle made actual pudding this time." Iris casually walked up to him, leaning against the railing on her back, arms crossed in a cool manner.

She sounded chipper than before. No doubt partying with new friends made her feel like she was right at home. Hozu didn't know if to answer or keep silent. If he did, maybe she would just get the message and leave him alone. But another part of him said that she wasn't someone who let things go that easily.

It had only been a day or so, and he already knew that the princess was as ambitious as they came. If she wasn't a princess she would have made the ideal police officer for sure. Her father taught her well.

Iris shouldn't have been surprised by Hozu's silence, but she was. He had been quiet ever since his argument with Mai. He obviously didn't want to talk about what happened, but they both knew they couldn't push this aside any longer.

"I never got to thank you."

"For what?" Hozu asked, still not looking at her.

"You saved our friends back there with that cloud."

Hozu's eyes widened. Did she really just say 'our' friends?

"I nearly got them killed is what I did." Hozu said bitterly, turning his head away from her so she wouldn't see his face.

"You didn't get us killed when you saved us from that waterfall."

This time, Hozu did look at Iris, eyes widened in shock. The Avatar only smiled. She remembered that magical energy spiraling in the waters when she and her friends fell from the crumbling bridge back at Canterlot. It did explain why Hozu was there when they had emerged from the water. A fall that size could have done some serious damage, he had cushioned their fall.

"How long have you been able to do that?" Iris asked, completely dodging his earlier statement about what happened back at Klugetown.

Yes, she was aware of what happened, but they were still alive. He just did a slip up, she knew he didn't mean to do it on purpose. It was like when she first started earthbending, she accidentally made Rohan fall flat on his face… and he was carrying a basket of fruit. He smelled like papaya for a week, and Iris hatted that fruit. Whatever it was Hozu could do, it was clear that he needed help.

"I don't want to talk about it." His reply was cold and distant as he turned away from her again.

Iris shrugged. "Fine. We can just ignore the fact that you have the supernatural ability to create storm clouds."

"I said, I don't want to talk about it."

"Why not?"

Iris's stubbornness was really pushing Hozu to the limit. He couldn't deal with this. He refused to deal with this. He hoisted himself onto the side of the ship.

"Hey, hey, what are you doing?!"

Hozu ignored her and stood on the railing, ready to jump.

"NO!" Iris grabbed him by the back of his shirt and pulled him back onto the dock. He crashed into a crate but didn't bother getting up.

"What is wrong with you?!"

"Everything!" Hozu snapped. "Everything is wrong with me, okay! I don't belong in your group of friends, I don't belong anywhere!"

"I know that's not true."

"You wouldn't say that if you knew what I was!"

"Then tell me already!"

"I'm part nymph, okay!?"

Iris gasped and stepped back, not in fear, but in astonishment. She froze in place, trying to process the word that came out of his mouth. She hadn't heard that word in ages, she didn't think anyone used it anymore.

"A… a nymph?"

Hozu ran his fingers through his hair as he stood back up. He gave up trying to resists. "You've heard of them, right?"

"Humanoid nature spirits, extremely rare, long believed to be extinct, most well known ones are the Painted Lady, Lady Tienhai and Iron Fist. Divided by millennial or immortal, well known for their compelling protective instinct and giving up their spirit status when they fall in love with humans?… Kind of rings a bell."

Hozu was so close to rolling his eyes. "Well, my mother was a weather Nymph named Yeh-Shen. A Millenial spirit who traveled a lot. She swore to never fall in love with a human so she wouldn't suffer the same fate as Lady Tienhai or the Painted Lady."

Iris knew well of Lady Tienhai. A spirit nymph who loved a seashore village like she were its own mother. She took on human form once a year to visit a village and gave up her spirit status when she fell in love with its king.

A similar occurrence happened to the Painted Lady years ago. She fell in love with a fisherman from the very same riverside village she had sworn to protect. Now, their adult human children cared for the land she once resided in, transforming into a beautiful tourist attraction and protected by the Fire Nation to preserve the river and wildlife. It took a long time for anyone to learn about this, since nymphs often spent more time around humans and nature than other spirits.

Jinora had told her the stories when she was young. Iris thought Lady Tienhai's story was tragic, yet romantic, but the Painted Lady's ended much more happily. She remained in the place she considered her home, and got to experience love and have children,who carried on her legacy. It was sad that she died young (a tragic side effect when a spirit turns humans) but her work lived on. And Lady Tienhai, being an immortal unlike the Painted Lady who was Millenial, traces of her essence carried on in the form of crane-fish that still swarmed around her statue to this day, but she was no longer a nymph due to her human death, she lost that form forever.

"But, as time went on and she saw families with their own children, she… she knew she didn't want to leave this world without experiencing that at least once. She wanted to live for someone else rather than herself. That desire became too strong just as it did for all the others." Hozu shrugged his shoulders lazily. "It's a nymph thing, I guess."

Iris was taken aback by this. That completely contradicted everything Hozu had told her when they first met. He said he only cared about himself and that not caring over the well being of others was a less stressful life.

"But, after Harmonic Convergence and the metaphysics of the world shifted, she realized she could still be with someone without needing to turn human. So, she met a nice guy in an Earth Kingdom village, got married and…" Hozu extended his arms to showcase himself. "Here I am."

A smile took shape on Iris's face, followed by a chuckle. A pleasantly surprised, excited kind of chuckle, as if the revelation brought her joy rather than horror or confusion.

"You're a hybrid." She said, still beaming. "That's incredible!"

Hozu looked away. "There's a first."

Iris's smile melted away. "What do you mean?"

"How many other half spirit hybrids are there?" Hozu asked. Iris was about to open her mouth, but was silenced when Hozu spoke again, "Aside from the Sorcerers, which don't necessarily count. They're half ponies, and a creature that's half pony half something else isn't anything too rare. But how many genuine half human nymphs are known?"

Iris had to admit, Hozu did make a good point. After all, Fluttershy's kids were half pony half changeling, and there have been several half pony offsprings in recent years. Even if Spike never got together with Rarity due to the age difference, there have been a few dragon and pony parings in recent years, not to mention Spike and Mika were a thing, a dragon and a lizard spirit. Also, Adagio, Sonata and Aria's parents were a seapony and a changeling, even though now they remained in earth pony forms since loosing their dark siren magic. And even if it didn't end well, there was no denying the chemistry between Capper and Chrysalis.

What those species all had in common was that they were all--biologically speaking--animals. Animals with human levels of intelligence and at times could walk upright and speak, but still animals in biology. A majority, if not the largest portion of species of spirits were animal-like, and like Iris said, humanoid spirits are extremely rare that hardly anyone knew of them anymore. Even actual spirits themselves had nearly forgotten them, the only reason she knew of them was because of the books in Wan Shi Tong's library.

In conclusion, these types of hybrids weren't that shocking. But a half human spirit that wasn't the Avatar? Yeah, she could see how that can make Hozu stand out from anyone else.

"None." Hozu answered for her. "My mother didn't know it at the time, but she was the very last nymph left in the world. I searched the Spirit World for years trying to find more of my kind, but everywhere I went I heard the exact same thing. They all either gave up their powers and became human, or they reached the end of their lifespans. My mom didn't interact with many other spirits, so there was no way she could have known. I searched under every rock, every library, and nothing!"

"W-What happened to her?" Iris dared to ask, fearing she wouldn't like the answer.

Hozu turned his back to her, staring up at the moon. "I was only ten-years-old. My dad died in a boating accident when I was three, so it was just me and mom. I showed signs of my powers at an early age. She taught me everything she knew, but I was still young so they were still developing. One day I went to the forest to get some berries. I stayed longer than I needed to because I made some new friends. We played for hours, I thought mom would understand. When I got home…"

Iris heard Hozu's voice tremble. A hand reached for his eyes. She could practically hear the sobs from where she stood. A small cloud started to form above Hozu's head, small droplets of rain poured over him, wetting the floorboards. The memory flashed before him like lightning. A rain shower formed inside the house as little Hozu laid beside his mother… lifeless on the floor, her skin pale as snow, her lips blue and her eyes completely black like tar. Her chest didn't rise or lower with her breathing. Her time had reached its end, and neither of them knew it.

"I'm sorry I said you had a 'squeaky clean' childhood." Hozu said between sobs. He sucked in his lips, tasting the saltiness of his tears merges with the rain waters. "I was just jealous. Jealous of all of you. You all have incredible powers, and everybody loves you for them. Everybody hatted me because of mine."

"Why?"

The rain clouds flashed white and more rain poured over Hozu. He recalled the memory of when he tried to save one of his new friends from falling into a river. Hozu was hidden in the bushes, watching the two play near a slippery slope, unaware of the danger they were in, seeing the rapid waters bellow them.

(Parody mix of Let it Go and Defying Gravity)

Hozu:

We all start out the same way

Naive and so full of trust

I've learned the hard way

That life's not fair or just

Hozu tried to form a cloud to save his falling friend, and while he did manage to do so, just like back at Klugetown, his man-made cloud turned gray and shot uncontrollable lightning everywhere. The strike hit a tree branch and one of the boys was hit. He broke his arm in the process. His friend helped him back up, all the while Hozu watched in horror and guilt as the storm cloud kept going haywire, disappearing only after he left the area.

I once hoped for friendship

To find a place among my kind

But those were the childish wishes

Of someone who once…

Was blind…

Everywhere Hozu went, he tried to help people. To provide for the land like his mother once did. Like his ancestors once did, but every single time something went wrong. Waters became unsteady and dangerous at his touch, storm clouds formed in places they shouldn't have, and when he got angry or terrified, lightning would shoot from his fingertips and they wouldn't rest until they reached something to strike.

No matter how hard he tried he kept hurting people. Caring for others made him a danger to everyone. But, when he tried not caring about what went on around him, the most his powers did were create a soft breeze and allowed him to swiftly move around without anyone knowing. Like an invisible wind. That's when he decided it was best for himself, for everyone, if he just went around not caring about anything, or anybody.

Dancing through life alone

No one can hurt you anymore

Don't hold on, just let it go

Turn your back and slam the door

If you shield your heart

It can't be torn apart

When you're on your own

You can't let anybody down

Iris:

I think I now understand

But you're not alone, not anymore

Iris used her own airbending, to blow the cloud away from Hozu. His cloths and hair seemed to have dried up instantly. Iris really did understand Hozu now. He had an incredible gift, but it was clear that the grief of loosing his mother had influenced his powers. He was still grieving, and that made his powers go nuts whenever he tried to help. Helping was what his mother always did. As a nymph, it was in her nature.

Like her son, her natural maternal instincts led her to care for the world around her and to want to live her life for another. She wanted to experience selfless love, and it was clear Hozu wanted the same thing, but he didn't believe he could have it.

Iris could empathize the desire to live up to the legacy of one's mother, and yes, it can be difficult at times to be different from others, especially with powers not too many people have. They both inherited their gifts from their mothers, but Hozu lost his due to uncontrolled circumstances. He couldn't get his mother back, but maybe Iris could help him realize he didn't need to be afraid of his gift.

Iris:

I've been in your place once too

I couldn't see which way to go

Some things you can not change

But until you try you'll never know

Too long you've been afraid of loosing love, you think you've lost

If you give it a second try, I promise

That love is worth the cost!

Iris spread open her wings and danced in mid air, unleashing magic from her fingertips as the reflective surfaces of the ship's wing-like sails shimmered, reflecting her abilities. She wasn't too different from Hozu. None of the Guardians were. They all had powers that made them unique, powers they were given to spread Friendship and hope. And yes, like Hozu, they also slipped up. They made mistakes, did a few damages, but they learned. Nobody is born knowing everything, and Iris believed, without a shadow of a doubt, that Hozu was destined for great things.

Iris:

Get up and try Defying Gravity

Leave the past behind, you can begin anew

And if you fall, I'll be right here for you

Open up your eyes and see

Once she landed, she took Hozu's hands in hers. He felt something pang in his chest and the nerves made him release them. He looked back down to the clouds, contemplating on whether of not he should just jump. He was never going to kill himself, he was going to use the clouds to break his fall.

Hozu didn't understand. Iris saw how dangerous his powers could be but, rather than be afraid she… she reached out her hand to help him. Nobody had ever done that for him before. He even tried to get himself to believe friendship was a silly concept since he was better off without it.

But, for the first time in his life, Hozu wasn't being resented by someone. Iris was just as special and different as he was. If anybody knew what it was like to be a hybrid, it was her. A part of him was still unsure, but there wasn't anyone around he could hurt, and he was confident enough that Iris could more than protect herself.

Hozu:

It's funny how some distance

Makes everything seem small

And the fears that once controlled me

Can't get to me at all

Iris beamed excitedly. She was finally getting through to him. She was right, all he needed was a friend to help him through his situation.

Iris:

It's time to see what you can do

To test the limits and break through

Let it grow, let it show, let your soul free

Come fly with me!

Iris took Hozu's hand, and this time he didn't pull away. Iris took off to the skies, with Hozu still holding on. He boldly let go of her hand and literally dove downwards. Iris gasped, only to then laugh at Hozu literally leaping from cloud to cloud with ease. She felt foolish for having believed he was actually going to kill himself earlier. He clearly knew what he was doing. This also explained how he was able to cross the desert before. When he was calm and at peace, his powers were tranquil like a cool breeze.

Hozu laughed as he flipped and dove through the clouds. He was literally flying! Iris had never seen a human fly on his own without the use of a wingsuit or a unicorn's telekinesis. The two soared across the skies near the pirate airship, laughing at the joys of being able to fly at will.

As Hozu flew, Iris used her water and airbending to move the clouds as well, heck even Hozu got brave enough to try it for himself. Droplets of rainwater were manipulated out of the clouds and the two created a breathtaking display of sparkly droplets of water dancing across the skies like shooting stars. The clouds formed around them, the waters creating rainbow colors at the tips, making it look like they were surrounded by a sea of fire-rainbows in the sky.

Iris:

Get up and try Defying Gravity

You're so much more

Than you ever thought you know

Hozu:

Leave the past behind

I'm one with the wind and sky

And if I fall

Iris:

I'll be right here for you

Iris and Hozu:

Open up your eyes and see

The two slowly came to a stop, facing each other. Iris's wings flapped gracefully, her hair billowing against the wind. Hozu's mouth went dry for a moment. The rainbows around them reflected in her eyes, faint blush sprinkled her cheek. For a moment, he couldn't take his eyes off of her. He never felt more alive. He never felt more… free. And happy.

Iris:

Enchanting…

Your power is enchanting

Iris gestured to the what they had created together and Hozu was at a loss for words. He didn't know his powers could do that. He always thought they brought destruction whenever he tried to do good, but now, seeing all of this, he realized maybe his abilities weren't as dangerous as he originally thought. The grief that filled his heart for so long was starting to lighten. His heavy heart was all aflutter. He did the bold move in taking Iris's hands in his own this time.

Hozu:

It flurries all around in a way I never knew

I never knew it could

It sounds really crazy

And true, the future is hazy

But it's where someday I'll be

Flying so high!

With their fingers interlocked, the two started dancing side by side across the sky, around their masterpiece, which started to expand. The Rainbow clouds grew larger and filled the entire sky, along with the sparkly still raindrops before they unfroze and fell gracefully upon them like gentle rainwaters in spring.

Iris:

Defying Gravity!

Iris and Hozu:

Get up and try Defying Gravity

Leave the past behind, we can begin anew

And if you fall, I'll be right here for you

Open up your eyes and see

The two spun around for a few more moments, their eyes locked as they slowly descended back onto the ship. They couldn't tell if that loud sound was a distant thunder cloud, or their own hearts.

Iris:

Open up your eyes and…

Hozu and Iris:

See…

Iris had been completely wrong about Hozu. He wasn't a selfish, lazy troublemaker at all, he was just a scared and grieving boy who wanted to have people to care for, but caring for them was what made him believe he was dangerous. He really did have a compassionate heart underneath that faux suave exterior. She realized how foolish she was to think otherwise.

Hozu realized he was just as wrong about Iris as she was of him. She wasn't just some spoiled princess who parroted everything her mother ever said. She was a strong, smart and loving individual who wanted to find her place in the world and she did, not because of her powers, but through her friends who helped her realize what her powers were really meant for. Maybe his powers could be used for something amazing just like he always wanted.

He was also wrong about friendship. He didn't think he needed it anymore, even if a secret part of him still longed for it. Friendship really could be for everyone. He just… had to be wiling to allow it into his heart. Iris really did open his eyes, just as he had opened hers. He reminded her not everybody is as they seem.

Iris's skin tingled as Hozu stroked the stray strand of hair and tucked it behind her ear. His hand lingered and he was lost in her rainbow colored eyes. He didn't know if it was the wind, or whatever, but something compelled him to lean in closer. It must have taken hold of Iris too because she was doing the exact same thing.

"BEDTIME!!"

The two screamed in terror, their eyes wide like saucers and tumbling backwards from each other. Their heart rates accelerated, but not from excitement, from horror at hearing the wisps's booming voice. Hozu leaned against a crate, trying to catch his breath, while Iris had literally jumped, her wings flapping and her feet above ground.

"Come on, you guys. It's time to turn in. We don't want to be exhausted for tomorrow."

Iris breathed in and out, her feet landing on the floorboards. "Right. We'll be right there, Chi."

"You go ahead." Hozu said. "I'm gonna… stay out for a little bit longer."

"Okay. Good night."

"Good night." Hozu waved bashfully as Iris walked towards Chi.

"What were you doing out in the rain?" Chi asked as she led Iris back inside. Indeed, her cloths were kind of wet, and there still a few lingering raindrops outside.

Hozu couldn't erase the smile that formed across his lips as he watched the rainbow clouds fill the sky. A few remaining frozen raindrops still sparkled, merging with the stars.

(~)

Grubber was snoring loudly while leaning against the airship's wheel. Bits of sponge cake stuck to his bottom lip. The bright light shined above his eyes and he tried to cover it up. Too late, he was already awake. He rubbed his eyes and they snapped open. He caught Tempest's attention by pointing at the sky.

"Hey! Look at that! Rainbow fire clouds! Whoa, that's so cool!" Grubber was absolutely bewitched by the beauty of the sparkly rainbow clouds that took on a fire-like shape. But, as beautiful as it was, it wasn't natural to see this type of weather phenomena this late at night, especially this clearly as if it were still day. This wasn't natural… it was supernatural.

Tempest smiled. "Yeah… of them to alert us." Her smile morphed into a disapproving frown when she turned to Capper, "Funny, though. They don't seem to be heading to Black Skull Island."

Capper had been playing it cool the entire trip, but now knowing that his lie had been exposed--again--he turned into a blabbering mess.

"Like "ha ha" funny or... ha ha…"

Tempest pushed Grubber out of the way and turned the ship around, in the direction towards the rainbow fire clouds.

(~)

What's my name?

*(~)*

1 John 2:15-16 ~

Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.

*(~)*

What's my name?

Capper fiddled with the sleeve of his jacket as Tempest changed course towards the rainbow clouds in the night sky. If she went now, she could catch them by morning. From the looks it, even if they did reach their destination, there was no possible way that they would be able to stop her from getting what she wanted.

She could already see the frightened looks on the princess's faces. Their eyes watery with tears once they were caged and forced to look at the stone cold faces of their mothers. Powerless and defenseless.

If anyone around here deserved to have their magic, it was Tempest herself. It was high time that wretched family payed for the crime they had committed against her all those years ago.

Everybody else may see Korra and Twilight as heroes and leaders, but for Tempest, they were the reason she had wounded up like this….

*…………. (~) ………….*

The sirens echoed in the streets of the city. Several streetlights flickered on and off but the two police cars kept on going. They screeched to a halt at the scene of the crime. A glass window was smashed and several items had been dropped on the floor. A group of ponies, in their pony form, trembled in fear. Blood dripped from their bodies.

The officers stepped out to inspect the two. They were a unicorn and a pegasus respectively. One had a honey yellow coat with green eyes, while the other was colored blue with brown eyes. Their cutie marks were a top hat and a daisy respectively. The pegasus was female, while the unicorn was male.

"Officer, please!" The unicorn begged. "They went that way!" He pointed towards and alleyway, where he saw two people running off.

"Get these two to a hospital!" One of the officers told his partner while he went after the two thieves. The other helped the poor defenseless ponies onto the back of the car while the first officer followed them into the alley, a flame in hand ready to fight. But once he reached the alley, the humans had disappeared.

The officer heard a sound behind him and spun around, sending the fire at whoever was there. He ended up striking only air. Then, a sweet smelling scent filled his lungs. His vision became blurry and he was knocked out cold.

A figure emerged from the shadows, her horn glowing a bright blue, her aquamarine eyes shimmering in the darkness. She pulled out the walkie talkie of the police officer and smashed it to pieces. The two humans who had ran off with the stolen goods revealed to have had nothing in their bags.

"Gag him." The unicorn ordered. She pulled out a walkie talkie of her own and from the back of the police car, the bleeding pegasus heard the static from the walkie talkie hidden underneath her wing.

She gave the unicorn a sly grin and using his magic, he knocked the officer unconscious. The pegasus morphed into her anthro form and stopped the police car. The unicorn then teleported them back to the scene of the crime, where an extra earth pony and another human thief emerged from the back, all with a bag of stolen goods.

The unicorn who knocked out the officer with her knock out gas nodded to everyone to follow her. Using her horn to create a literally cloud of darkness that hid them from view, she teleported them back underground to a specific location.

The old Equalist tunnels have long since been abandoned, and the unicorn and her group had transformed one of them into their own hide out. The bloody unicorn and pegasus wiped away the faux red liquid from their bodies. It sure did look like real blood. Smelled like it too.

The unicorn waved her horn once more and the coat and hair dye that she had splattered on the two ponies was removed like a second skin. She morphed the liquid into a rainbow-substance and placed it back into two individual bottles. She also removed the two stickers from the ponies's flanks and they changed back into anthro form. Finally, they removed their contact lenses.

"Another job well done, Shadows." The unicorn said with eloquent pride.

"All thanks to you and your potions, Tempest." One of the humans said. "Of course, those wouldn't be possible if not for that wickedly awesome horn of yours!"

"Oh, please, you flatter me."

Tempest and her group kicked the door open and the rest of the triads greeted them while rising their cups. Tempest was welcomed with applauds and pats on the back. They tossed the filled up bags onto the table and everyone swarmed around, grabbing whatever they liked like kids after the candy that fell out of a piñata.

Tempest remained as cool and collected as she watched. She was the most level-headed thief anyone had ever met. But, she was also the most driven. She sat on the stool of their own personal bar and nodded to one of her compatriots.

"The works."

"You sure you covered up your tracks good, Tempest?" He asked, pouting her signature drink onto her favorite cup.

"When those two wake up, all they'll remember is a couple of bleeding ponies… and a shadow."

The man chuckled, tilting his head back and gave Tempest her drink. "If the other triads had unicorns with your kind of magic, maybe they wouldn't be so few of us still lurking around."

Tempest couldn't agree with him more. She was a skilled alchemist so she could create potions. Her spells are what gave her potions their abilities. She had a changeable hair dye which she used to mask the identity of her pony triad members, and she made knock out gasses of various scents so that they were never the same twice. Not only that, but she also had a cloaking spell that worked well in darkness. She and her friends could go around unseen, hidden in the dark, and with her potions, their scents would also be masked.

She had the furry and strength of a storm, but was as frightening and silent as a shadow.

Tempest leaned her back against the bar's table, basking in the beauty of her home. Humans and ponies working together for one common goal; Get what they want!

Orphaned at a young age, Tempest found herself getting tangled up in one of the triad's crimes. Rather than turn them in, Tempest wowed them with what she could do. She was an inspiration for criminal ponies everywhere and before long, she moved up the ranks and became leader of her own triad.

The Shadow Triad.

Very little was known about them, for they kept their existence a secret. They worked in the shadows, strategies every crime to the letter. They didn't leave anything a trace. It's how they managed to stay hidden from the police for so long, and they only grew in numbers as time went on.

The radio on the bar's table went static for a moment. "Good evening folks! This is Shiro Shinobi coming to you live from this year's Grand Galloping Gala at Canterlot and boy is it quite the shindig! There are folks from all across Equestria, and the Four Nations! And there they are, the bells of the ball themselves! The Elements of Harmony, looking as radiant as always!"

Tempest groaned, rolling her eyes as she took a sip from her cup.

"There's sure to be lost of magical happenings tonight, you can just feel the Friendship in the air!"

Tempest's horn flared and she turned the radio off. She slammed her cup angrily onto the table. "Bunch of spoiled brats. They think that just because they have those magical gemstones they can summon on a whim that they have the right to decide the rules of how friendship works." Tempest gestured to everyone inside their hideout, taking another sip of her drink . "Look at this. Ponies and humans coexisting, and are we at any of those fancy royal parties? We already have magic and we have each other. Our strength in numbers has grown, and we didn't need to bow down to those pompous Princesses. This is our kingdom."

"And it's all thanks of you."

"What's my name?"

"Tempest Shadow."

She turned to the rest of her followers. "What's my name?"

Everyone rose their cups into the air and shouted in unison, "Tempest Shadow!"

Boy did she love the sound of her own name. Korra and Twilight can have their perfectly little fantasy kingdom. Tempest had her own kingdom right here. She had freedom and friendship. She had it all already.

(What's My Name from Descendants 2)

Tempest Shadow:

This is all hands on deck

Calling out to lost boys and girls

I'm getting tired of the disrespect

But we won't stop cause we call the shots

It's our time, we up next

Our sail's about to be set

They've seen nothing yet

Tell em who's in charge so they won't forget

Tempest rose onto the table and began dancing and singing along with her fellow triads. The young adult unicorn strut with such street-wise grace and charm it was hard for anyone else not to be compelled to join in. She had an allure that rivaled even Avatar Korra herself.

What's my name?

Triads:

Tempest!

Tempest Shadow:

Say it louder

What's my name?

Triads:

Tempest!

Tempest:

Fell the power

No one's gonna stop us, no

The world is our playground

What's my name?

What's it?

Say it now!

Triads:

Tempest Shadow

Tempest:

All eyes on me, let me see em

Triads:

Tempest Shadow

Tempest:

What's it?

Say it

Say it!

Triads:

Tempe-Tempest Shadow

Tempest

Tempest stood on the tables, kicking silverware and cups, which everyone only laughed and cheered at. They could always steal more anyways. The unicorn triad leader was having the time of her life, but then again, this was just another day in her life.

Tempest:

I'm the queen of this town

I call the shots you know who I am

I don't need to wear no fake crown

Stand up to me, you don't stand a chance

It's our time, we're up next

My crew's as real as it gets!

The worst is now the best

We're living our life with no regrets

What's my name?

Triads:

Tempest!

Tempest:

Say it louder

What's my name?

Triads

Tempest!

Tempest:

Fell the power

No one's gonna stop us, no

The world is our playground

What's my name?

What's it?

Say it

Say it!

Her friends placed her on a chair and organized the tables together like a stage and the unicorn who had joined her in her heist did a rap number in her honor.

Unicorn Triad:

You know what they say, bad girls have all the fun

Never learned how to count cause we're number one

Ready, here we come

We always get out way

It's a Shadow's life, every single day

Hey!

She's the leader of this triad

Make them cops get tread on

Magic power up, she wrote the book

Tempest's so bright you get burned if you look

Tempest got up from her chair when the unicorn flirtatiously helped her back up. She teased him by pulling him close as if to kiss him, only to push him back. He only laughed it off and the dance continued. Tempest Shadow was indeed the queen of this town, and she was sure to never let anyone forget it. Her friends knew she was powerfully talented, and that was enough for her.

Tempest:

All eyes on me, let me see em

I see your eyes on me boys

Hey!

You know what my name is

Say it

Say it!

Louder!

What's my name?

Triads:

Tempest!

Tempest:

Say it louder

What's my name?

Triads:

Tempest!

Tempest:

Fell the power

No one's gonna stop us, no

The world is our playground

What's my name?

Triads:

(Tempe-Tempest)

Tempest:

Oh, say it louder

Triads:

(Tempe-Tempest)

Tempest:

Oh, say it louder

What's it?

Say it

Say it!

Triads:

Tempe-Tempest Shadow

Tempest!

Tempest laughed out loud with everyone, tossing their drinks into the air. Her ears twitched when the door opened and another human male entered.

He was a couple years or so older than Tempest, with a strong muscular build and dark brown hair that swiped over his forehead. He had a single scar across his nose and his hair was partly died purple. He sat near the bar, but rather than join the merriment, he hung his head in dismay. His eyes were a warm brown and he was a non-bender, but an incredibly skilled fighter none the less.

Tempest's once arrogant expression softened with genuine concern and she took a seat beside him. "Hey, Tadashi. What gives?" Tempest asked. "We had to do the heist without you."

"Oh, sorry I… forgot."

"Seriously, big brother. Where have you been?" Tempest them smiled slyly. "Are you secretly dating someone and haven't told me yet?"

Tadashi playfully ruffled her magenta colored hair, pulled into a slick ponytail, and a long piece of it was styled in a mix of elegant and messy on the side of her face, which only partly covered the scar over her left eye.

"No, it's nothing like that. I've just been… thinking about stuff."

"What's there to think about?" Tempest's expression fell at seeing Tadashi's hesitation. She then sighed in disappointment. "This again?"

"It's just.. don't you ever get tired of it?"

"Of what?"

"Hiding underground, doing the same thing over and over."

"The same thing? What are you talking about? Every new heist is more heart pounding than the last!"

"It's the same every time. We plan something, we go on, we get out with the stuff, we play with it for a bit and then go back again."

Tempest shook her head, "Where is all of this coming from? You love doing this. You were the one who introduced me to the life of a triad. You were the first person who really trusted my skills long before any of the others did… you were my first real friend, Tadashi." Her voice grew soft. "And now you're acting like you don't want to do this with me anymore."

Tadashi shook his head. "No, no, Tempest, it's not that."

"You say you're tired of doing this skit, but I don't see why. We have the freedom to do what we want. To have what we want, we make our own rules." Tempest placed her hand on his shoulder. "But most of all, I have you. You've been with me every step of the way. Whatever's bothering you, I'm sure it'll pass. Maybe you just need to step back for a little while. Get out of this funk you're in."

Tadashi traced circles on the surface of the table. "Yeah. You're probably right." He got back up and walked out of the room. "Im gonna turn in early. Night, little sis."

"Night, big brother."

"And Tempest…"

"Yeah?"

"… I will always be there for you. Don't ever doubt that."

"I never have."

*…………. (~) ………….*

Tempest closed her eyes shut, bitting her bottom lip so hard she could bleed. Those words held so much meaning back then, but now they were nothing but empty. Broken, just like her horn.

Their friendship may not be something that can be restored, but she would face a hundred storm clouds if she could get her horn back. She refused to live out the rest of her life like this.

At least with her horn, she will be whole again. Whole, and ready to finally take out those who threw her down this path to begin with.

(~)

A second escape

A Second Escape

Akari bursted into the room where the statues of her parents stood before the two thrones of the royal alicorn sisters. Twilight was in front of Celestia's, while Flash was placed in front of Luna's. Akari galloped up the staircase towards them. It felt longer than she remembered.

Once she reached the top, the entire castle rumbled. Bits of the ceiling fell and cracked once they hit the ground. The beautiful stain glassed windows lost their coloring, turning gray and crumbling at the seems. Akari held her stoned parents close and cried out for help.

"Iris! Guys! Anybody!"

But nobody came. None of her friends answered. A wicked laughter echoed through the walls.

Akari didn't recognize that voice. It wasn't Tempest's, or even Discord's, and even reformed he still managed to pull off a chillingly convincing evil laugh. No, it wasn't anyone she knew.

The voice grew louder. Closer. Akari's body trembled in a way she never knew it could. Her horn sparkled with magic, her wings outstretched menacingly, ready to defend her parents. But no magic shot out of her horn. The sparks died down and even her wings felt heavy. What was happening?

A large shadowy figure appeared at the doorway, bigger than Discord, but not as big as Wan Shi Tong, but he was just as menacing. It was the Storm King in all his evil, monstrous glory, showing off his sharp teeth as he smiled. His stormy blue eyes stared down at the princess.

"Aww, The Princess of Friendship… with no friends."

"What did you do to them!?"

The Storm King only waved his staff around. Magic sparks of lightning shot out and the rest of the castle was blasted away. The walls disintegrated, leaving only a small rocky pedestal where Akari currently stood with her petrified parents.

Her heart stopped at seeing Iris… now completely turned to stone! The Avatar's face was frozen in a state of eternal fear. Akari's eyes traveled to see Mai, Hiro, and Chi standing before Iris, all equally frozen in a state of terror, either desperately trying to shield themselves or stuck in a position that looked as if they were ready to run for their lives. Nori had her ears dropped, her hooves cemented to the ground, her mouth opened as if it were trembling. Chrysalis had her front hooves out but her face looked like she was crying out for mercy.

Finally, her eyes fell upon Gallant Steed. He was in a fighting stance, as if he was trying to defend someone, but his expression looked like it had been stoned right in between the exchange from bravery to fear.

"No… No!" Akari felt something cold on her shoulder. She turned around to see her mother, still a black crystal statue, but her stoned hoof managed to move, landing on Akari's shoulders. Her eyes did not blink, but her mouth moved none the less. It was a frightening sight.

"How can you save the realm if you couldn't even save me?" Twilight's voice echoed like a ghost. Right before Akari's eyes, both her parents and the statues of her friends broke apart, forming into a pile of rocks.

"NO!"

The Storm King's laughter boomed and the skies twisted to form clouds that shot lightning in all directions. Akari tried to fight with her magic. Her anger and grief fueling her power.

Just as she was about to blast at the creature who took everything from her… her horn broke off, rolling down to the floor only to be crushed by the Storm King's cloven hooves.

No magic. No friends. No family. No kingdom. Akari had failed. She had failed Equestria. She had failed the mission.

She had failed everybody. Her spirit wasn't enough this time.

……..

Akari woke up in a cold sweat. The hammock in which she slept in was soft enough and the rocking of the ship did help her fall asleep quick. If only she could say the same for the actual sleep. She was restless and she couldn't stop thinking about the Storm King.

This entire journey had been a huge mess. First, they are forced to leave their homeland, then they almost get sold after trusting someone they believed was their friend, then their new friend almost gets them killed. Granted, it was an accident, but so far, everything that should have gone right went wrong. Who knows what the Storm King could be doing to her parents right now, and everybody they knew was powerless to stop them.

Akari had seen many things over the years, but seeing her mother turned stone, now powerless back in Equestria with everyone else being unable to defend themselves was more troubling than anything she had ever encountered.

She was supposed to be the brave one. The one who always had a plan, who was always ready to jump into action and face any threat. She loved adventures, she loved taking on bad guys, and she loved doing it with her friends. But all it took was for one Friendship Festival gone wrong for Akari to fully come to grips with the fact that this role she and her friends had been given was so much more than just friends going on adventures and taking names.

The sound Captain Celaeno's voice was what shook Akari from her thought process.

"All right! That's breakfast!"

(~)

That morning, Chi decided to challenge Celaeno to a sword fight. The pirate bird laughed the entire time, she was having a blast dueling the feisty wisp, who morphed her arm into a sword.

The pirate birds made them a delicious meal (no slop this time), and they watched as the two new friends sword dueled. Iris had taken the time to explain to everyone how Hozu was able to do the things he did before.

Hiro was especially impressed. "So, let me see if I got this. Your mom was a spirit, and your dad was human. So, you're an authentic, human-spirit hybrid? And you can make weather tricks with your mind?"

Hozu scratched the back of his neck bashfully. "Y-Yeah, pretty much." Ever since the cat got out of the bag, he found no need to try the whole 'cool-street-charming-guy' act anymore, or even to hide what he really was.

Hiro blinked a couple times. "That… is…so cool! We've never had another hybrid on our team before!"

Hozu was still getting used to the fact that they were wiling to welcome him into their group, especially after what happened. "I'm really sorry about, you know, almost killing you."

Hiro scoffed, "Water under the bridge! Once you've had your life flash before your eyes like twelve hundred times, it becomes kind of second nature."

"And we all forgive you, Hozu." Nori said, sitting on a crate, her new pearl necklace Celaeno had given her sparkled in the morning sunlight. "We know you were only trying to help."

"If it weren't for you, we would have probably been road kill by now." said Gallant Steed.

Hozu didn't know if to smile or give them a hand shake or what. To his surprise, Chrysalis made the first move and hugged him. She knew better than anyone how hard it was to move on from past mistakes, but if there was any group of friends who would be willing to give someone a second chance, it was this one.

Mai, on the other hand, wasn't entirely sure. Seeing her brother get almost killed because Hozu couldn't control his powers didn't exactly place her mind at ease.

"See? We're all friends now." Hiro nudged his sister's elbow. "Right, sis?" he said through gritted teeth. While Mai was the more cautious sibling, Hiro always had an easier time to forgive and forget.

Mai sighed in defeat. "Yeah sure, whatever."

Hozu had a feeling that Mai's trust would be a bit harder to gain. He did, unintentionally, almost killed her older brother so he understood her hesitation. He didn't blame her at all for it.

Mai knew Hozu's intentions were genuine, she didn't doubt that. But, his powers were still a mystery to them, so she was going to, at the very least, keep a close eye on them. Hopefully, Iris and Akari's magic would be enough to help out with that.

Speaking of Iris and Akari, the two were on the other side of the ship, seeing the exchange between Hozu and the others. Akari sat on a crate as well, leveled to Iris.

"Soooo…" Akari began, "You and Hozu didn't fight once during breakfast."

Iris could already feel her face redden. "Yeah, well you know, turns out he's not what I expected."

"He's not what any of us expected." Akari said, mixed with a chuckle. She looked over her shoulder at the vast, cloudy skies. She could barely see any trace of the earth and the clouds prevented her from getting a clear view on Mount Aris. They still had ways to go, but she couldn't control the nervous twists and knots in her stomach.

Iris playfully ruffled her friend's mane. "We're almost there. We're going to save our parents."

Akari managed to smile a bit, but her mind still lingered on the Storm King. She couldn't stop thinking about her nightmare. "What do you think the Storm King is doing to them?" Akari asked, her ears dropping.

"I don't know." Iris replied with uncertainty as she looked at the loads above.

"And the others… they can't even use their powers to defend themselves. What if he…" Akari sucked in her lips, unable to continue.

Iris hugged her friend but before she could say words of comfort, Squabble started squawking frantically, causing the two to gasp and turn their heads around to see him pointing towards a thick storm cloud. A familiarly looking sinister airship pierced through.

"Storm guards! Looks like they found you!" said Captain Celaeno.

Akari gasped, "Tempest!"

"Secure the rigging! Lock down the cargo! Everyone, prepare to be boarded!"

Boyle led the kids back to the cargo hold where they first found them, only instead of hiding from the birds, they were now hiding from the evil unicorn. Chrysalis protectively held Nori close, and Gallant Steed did the same for Akari. Chi had her hands on both Hiro and Mai's shoulders while Hozu, by complete instinct, had his hand on Iris's arm.

"How did she find us?" Gallant asked in a harsh whisper.

Hozu's eyes widened in anguish. "Uh, oh."

"Uh, oh?" Akari repeated, "What, 'Uh, oh'? There shouldn't be any 'Uh, oh's! Why is he saying 'Uh, oh'?!"

"I… think it was the clouds."

"What clouds?" Chi asked.

"The clouds… I made last night." Hozu said, completely dodging the fact that Iris had joined in him doing so. "They must have lingered long enough for her to spot them."

"Are you kidding me?!" Mai retorted, only to be held back by her brother and Chi.

"It wasn't his fault." Iris confessed. "I was trying to help him with his powers. This is my fault too."

"No, Iris." Hozu said. "Believe me, my clouds tend to linger for a while, yours disappeared not too long afterwards and they stayed in the same place. Mine were the ones that went off. This is all on me."

Akari, rather than feel sorry for Hozu, hoof palmed herself, "Great! Just perfect!"

From outside, a harpoon shoot from Tempest's airship onto the lower deck of the pirate's ship and reeled them to the skiff. The kids tumbled over and fell into a pile, shipments of cargo fell off and rolled onto the floorboards. Tempest, Grubber and the storm guards boarded the pirate ship. Grubber took a bite out of his sponge cake and chewed on it, trying to look menacing but it only made him look like the glutinous furry creature that he was.

The pirates knew of the Storm King's Commander, as well as her reputation for being as explosive and deadly as her master. Celaeno's eyes widened, her knees buckling as she and her crew stood in line, trying to act as casual as possible.

Tempest rose an eyebrow. "Where are your standardized Storm King uniforms?" she asked.

"It's… it was pirate night." Celaeno said. "And, we accidentally spilled some rum onto our uniforms, so they're hanging out to dry out now. It was either these costumes or walk around in our birthday suits and, something tells me you wouldn't gave found that pleasant."

Celaeno managed to keep her calm while lying, though judging by Tempest's scowl she wasn't entirely convinced. She trotted stoically across the deck, eyeing the birds suspiciously.

"Where is the Princess Avatar?"

"Uh, the what now?"

"A human girl with wings. No doubt accompanied by a little pink pony."

"Uh, pony? Hang on." Celaeno pulled out a clipboard and traced her clawed finger over the list. "Pony… pony… "Avatar", was it? Ava-Tar... Nope. All we're hauling is Storm King merchandise."

Squabble squawked while playing with a Storm King bobble head.

"You do realize that if you were to shelter fugitives, the Storm King would be quite... explosive."

Captain Celaeno was well known far and wide for her fearlessness, but in the presence of the unicorn, she gulped. Tempest was not someone who was easily fooled, and as the children listened in on the conversation from bellow, they knew it just as well as Celaeno did.

"We have to get off this ship before they tell Tempest we're here!" Akari whispered loudly.

"We helped them get their mojo back." Chi whispered back, "They're not gonna give us up!"

As much as Akari wanted to believe that, Tempest was not going to give them up without a fight. Once again, what should have gone right went wrong fast. As if things couldn't get any worse…

"Now, I'm gonna count to three, and if you don't tell me where they are, your ship is going down." Tempest said from above.

Akari looked around. There was no other trap door for them to escape through. But there was one thing Akari did learn over the years. If there was no way out, you don't wait for it… you make it.

"I've got this!"

Using a minimum amount of her firebending, Akari burned through the wooden floor of the ship. She cut through two lines on the floor and then vertically, creating a square as Tempest counted down the seconds.

"One…"

The wood was thick and Akari had to keep her fire low enough so Tempest wouldn't smell the burning wood. She was halfway there. Droplets of sweat dripped from her brown, her heart pounding but her eyes remained focused.

"…Two…"

From above, Celaeno gripped her sword, ready to fight the unicorn if necessary. Grubber watched the scene with anticipation. "Oh, this is intense!"

"Three!"

A distant, muffled word that sounded almost like "Dive!" was heard from bellow the ship. Tempest opened the trapdoor as to where they had come from but she saw nothing. The entire cargo hold was empty. Upon seeing that the kids managed to escape without getting caught. Celaeno breathed a sigh of relief. They were tough kids, so she was confident they would be alright.

Tempest angrily closed the door with her hoof, and the opening Akari had made slid open from the forceful slam. The self made hangar door flapped open and the cool winds blew in through.

(~)

"I did not sign up for this!!!"

Nori screamed as she and the others fell from the sky at rapid speed. They were already far enough away so Tempest couldn't hear their screams.

"My life is flashing before my eyes again!" Hiro shouted in terror. Then, his attitude quickly changed as he casually talked to Gallant Steed while free falling. "Hey, remember when we shaved our heads?"

"Yeah, that was pretty funny!" Gallant laughed… then he and Hiro held onto each other, screaming like little girls, their hair flapping in the wind.

"It'd be really great not to crash right now, you guys!" Mai shouted.

Chi fearlessly dove downwards faster than the others. At the right moment, her body changed into a dragon bird yet again, catching Nori, Gallant, Hiro, Mai and Hozu, while Chrysalis, Akari and Iris flew beside her.

Hozu was literally trembling as he inspected his body. Everything was still in place and everyone was alive. "Way to wait until the last minute, Chi!"

"Couldn't risk Tempest spotting us from the air." The Chi replied, flapping her now large wings.

"Quick thinking, Sweetie!" Gallant said to Akari, who did a coupled of happy air flips.

"Yahoo! Ha ha!"

"That was fun! Can we do it again?" Hiro asked.

"NO!" Mai, Hozu, Gallant and Nori all shouted at him.

Chi changed course towards a tall mountaintop, glistening in the sunlight. "Next stop, Mount Aris!"

"We're home free!" Akari cheered as she flew alongside Chi. The rest of her fellow guardians celebrated as they flew towards their destination.

(~)

The storm creatures grunted as they trashed the pirate ship. Tempest cornered the pirates and Capper to the back of the ship, her eyes narrowed menacingly. She knew the Guardians were here and they managed to escape her clutches. Again!

The cat and bird pirates walked backwards away from the unicorn, already seeing the sparks of magic taking form.

Grubber walked out of the cargo hold, "There're no Guardians. But I found this." he showed her a strawberry cupcake, "It's a... kind of a cupcake... with sprinkles… Oh, yeah, and I found this, too."

Tempest took the map Grubber had found and just like that her attitude morphed from anger to a sinister form of delight. "Looks like they're heading to Mount Aris." she said to Capper.

"Really? Mou- Mount Aris?" The poor cat was a stammering mess, laughing nervously. There was no covering his tracks this time. And Tempest's nasty look wasn't helping either. "I… Well, that's my mis— I didn't know that... Mount Ari... My bad, I didn't... That's my... I'm sorry, I'm very very sorry."

Tempest's horn charged up, stronger than before. "Now, about your betrayal…"

Blasts of magic shot like torpedoes all across the airship, striking every box, every board, every pole and every sail. The colorful wings had gone up in flames and bits of the ship splashed into the waters bellow, followed by the entire ship. Tempest and her followers were already safely on board their own ship, watching pleasantly as the remains sunk into the cold waters.

A torn up pirate flag floated on the surface.

(~)

Princess Sky Star and the seaponies

*(~)*

Proverbs 15:13 ~

A glad heart makes a happy face; a broken heart crushes the spirit.

*(~)*

Princess Sky Star and the Seaponies

Chi's arms were tired from all that flying, but they did it. They made it. Mount Aris was just as it was depicted on the map. A tall mountain top partly enveloped in massive stones that resembled wings and a talk cylinder with a sparkly pearl-shaped orb at the top. It was so high clouds floated around it. The stone staircase that started at the bottom looked like the kind they had envisioned would lead them to the heavens after death. The surrounding area was covered in dried up grass and waves crashed against the shoreline.

The kids hopped off of Chi's back and she changed back into her preferred, blue humanoid form. She stretched her arms and legs. "I'm getting too old for this."

"But you still don't look a day over two hundred." Chrysalis said, making the wisp smile in agreement.

"Aww, thanks… you're still giving us a ride on the way back."

"Fair enough."

Akari's eyes sparkled once they reached the entrance of the city. Two stone columns carved into equine creatures with wings, beaks for mussels and feathery manes faced one another flanked the entrance. Traces of vegetation had already begun to grow around them, and small bits of the statues had been chipped off, but never the less, it was a breathtaking sight.

"This is it!" Iris said, taken away by the beautiful structure. She had never seen anything like it before.

"Finally!" Akari had never felt more relieved in her entire life. Their journey was finally over. They were finally going to save their parents. The Storm King's reign was about to come to an end.

"Ooh!" Hiro looked up at the statues and the city that laid before them on the other side.

Even Mai was taken aback by it all. "I don't believe it."

"We… actually made it." Hozu said. While everyone else had reactions of excitement and interest, Hozu was downright baffled. He witnessed the Guardians overcome such adversities to get to this point. So many times he doubted they'd actually get this far, but here they were. It was… truly remarkable.

Gallant laughed in exhilaration and trotted forward. "Hippogriffs, here we come!"

Nori sighed in relief, "Time to rest my hooves!"

But the further the children walked into the city of the Hippogriffs, one by one their excitement died down. The chill in the air made them shiver and the ghost-like whistling of the wind was a sure sign that nobody was going to come and greet them.

A light fog had settled onto the city, which was a far cry from the land they had expected. They anticipated it to be a vast civilization with the majestic creatures soaring above their heads with all the grace and majesty that only an equine could posses. But, instead of a paradise of color and mystic beauty, all they saw was the desolated land and shattered remains of a once thriving country.

The fog made it hard to tell if it was still day or night, and all around were dome shaped houses, designed to look like extravagant bird cages. The windows shimmered with faint hints of color, no doubt they had once looked beautiful.

Doors and windows were torn off, roofs shattered and remains of things such as teapots, plates, even a few bird-like toys were spread carelessly across the weed infested grounds. Spiderwebs covered the once beautiful architecture, and small roaches crawled under the heroes's feet.

"Are you sure this is the right place?" Hozu asked. He had expected the Hippogriffs to be better groundskeepers than this.

Mai cupped her hands round her mouth and called out, "Hello?! Is anybody home?!"

Hiro inspected an old teapot, removing the top but saw nothing but more cobwebs and a few spiders. "No Hippogriffs here!"

Hiro spread out, looking into empty houses, careful not to touch the broken shards of glass. "Or here! Or here! Or here or here or here!" He stopped in front of a Hippogriff statue. "Waaaaaiiit!" he looked behind it and then used his earthbending to lift it up and look underneath the ground. When he saw nothing he put it back in it's rightful place. "Nope! This place is emp-ty!"

Akari and Iris looked at one another, as if expecting one of them to have some kind of explanation. They both knew it was futile, since neither of them had the answer to their identical question. How could this place be empty? There was a city, statues of Hippogriffs everywhere, but it looked as if nobody had been here for years.

"What if Hozu was right?" Chrysalis said in dreaded realization. "What if… they're not around anymore?"

Akari shook her head in defiance. "No! They have to be here! Leilani… The map. She wouldn't have trusted Celestia and Luna to find them if they didn't exist!"

"It looks like no one has lived here in ages." Mai said, equally distraught.

"Guys." Every one turned towards Hozu, who had stooped in front of the statue of a beautiful Hippogriff, raising its front bird-like legs with its majestic wings outstretched. One of its legs was broken off, and grassy moss had already grown all around its body.

"I think I know what happened." Hozu crunched down and picked something up from the ground.

Iris was the first to step forward and instantly she clapped her mouth with her hands. Her eyes shimmering in despair at what he held in his hand. Everyone else gasped and trembled at what Hozu held in his hand.

A piece of the Storm King's flag!

That explains it. The Hippogriffs were here. They were real… but the Storm King got to them before the Guardians did. They were too late.

Iris couldn't stop the tears from falling. She fell into a puddle on the floor, hugging herself as she sobbed. Chi and Hiro both kneeled down and held her close.

Akari was frozen in place. For a moment, she could hardly move her hooves. Was this the fate that awaited Equestria? Was this the future the Storm King had in store for their people? Had they really left home for nothing?

The flag, the destruction, it had that monster's handy work written all over it. Rather than denial, Akari felt anger take full control. Her body moved again but rather than cry, she started kicking at everything in her wake. She blasted at various stone statues, not even caring that she was destroying priceless relics. Who cares about historical architecture when her entire home was about to suffer the same fate as this place.

Tears ran down her cheeks without end. She wanted to punch and kick everything. Gallant Steed rushed to her side, gently gripping her haunches with his hooves. Akari knew her furry wasn't going to solve their problem, but she had to vent out her frustrations somehow. Iris was reflecting exactly how Akari felt. Helpless. And she hatted nothing more than feeling helpless.

Akari wrapped her hooves around Gallant, the loving unicorn stallion rubbed her back, consoling her. He led her towards Iris and the others. The Avatar wrapped her arms around the alicorn pony princess, their tears merging together as they hit the ground. The faded light that managed to break through the thick fog captured the waters of their grief, creating a faint rainbow effect.

Hozu didn't know what to do. He had never consoled anyone before, but seeing his… friends… so broken-hearted after all the work they have done was… it made him want to cry too.

He was just about to hug Iris when a new sound filled the air. It was faint and rather distant, but it was there. The kids stopped sobbing and Nori's ears twitched to get a better reading.

"It's… it's singing!" The merpony galloped ahead, following the haunting, yet beautiful melody.

"Nori, wait!" Iris called out and they followed after her. Nori galloped over the stone remains of pillars that have long since fallen, reaching a building with tall archways. From a far, it almost looked like it had once been a majestic castle.

It was dark inside, so Akari and Gallant used their horns to light the way. The entrance was nearly crumbled, but it was wide enough for them to walk through. The singing grew louder, accompanied by the droplets of running water.

At the end of the cavernous tunnel, the children reached a beautiful grotto. A pond of shimmering crystal clean waters illuminated the room. Two stone columns of Hippogriff heads with water running down their necks to resemble manes poured like majestic waterfalls into the pool. In the very center was a large, pink lotus flower floating above the waters.

It looked so clean Nori was tempted to just dive right in. It had been such a long trip, and after that unbearable experience in the desert, the merpony was homesick for her native element.

The enchanting melody was coming from inside the flower. Only it wasn't the flower singing, but somebody inside. Or… somepony? The children caught the faintest hint of a pony shaped head but it was too far and blurry to tell. The figure also appeared to be glowing, radiating with a yellow light as it moved around gracefully in a serene dance.

Nori took a step closer, but the small staircase that lead to the pond was old and a piece of it chipped off. The sound of breaking stone caused the singing to stop. The glowing creature gasped.

"What was that?!"

The mysterious figure dove into the water. "Hey! Wait up!" Nori called out as she galloped ahead, ignoring more of the crumbling staircase beneath her hooves and did a nose dive into the waters.

"Nori!" Akari cried out and she and the others followed, walking into the waters, wetting their legs and cloths, or in the pony's case their hooves. Nori's lower half shimmered and sparkled in the waters. Her back legs transformed into their tail form, her cutie mark attached to both sides of her purple tail.

She surfaced, shaking her hair wet. Small droplets fell on her friends. "She's gone!"

The sound of something shutting on made Akari groan. "Now what?"

Nori suddenly felt the waters around her spiral. Soft at first, but then rapidly increasing in speed, pulling all of the other guardians along with her. The pond had turned into a raging whirlpool, the lotus flower sucked into the waters as the guardians struggled to fight back the current. The water suddenly smelled like salt, and the temperature warmed.

"When I said I wanted a pool, this isn't what I meant!" Nori screamed as she and the rest of her friends all screamed as they were taken down into the depths of the sea.

Once they reached the other side of the whirlpool, the Guardians were completely submerged in water, all floating in a darkened undersea cave. Nori was able to breath just fine due to being part fish, but the same could not be said about everyone else. Iris managed to stay conscious long enough to bend the waters around her, creating air bubbles to wrap around her head, then Mai's, Hiro's, Gallant's and Akari's. Using her magic, Iris manifested the water into solid air bubbles for her friends to breath with.

Mai, Hiro, Gallant and Akari gasped for air, while Chrysalis had magical changed her body to resemble that of a merpony like Nori. Chi transformed her lower half into that of a dolphin's tail and she now wore a one shoulder top with a wolf's head symbol. Her hair was loose and she had a dorsal fin on her back. She also now had gills so she could breath underwater.

Akari breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks, Iris."

"Wait, where's Hozu?!" Iris looked around frantically. There was no sign of him anywhere.

"I'm right here."

Hozu appeared right behind them. It was dark so it was still a little hard to see. Iris and the others were left speechless. Hozu was swimming alongside them… and he was breathing underwater!

"What? I'm half weather nymph, I can breath in water too."

"What happened?" Hiro asked. That was a good question. Where did that whirlpool come from? And what was that mysterious creature they heard singing earlier.

Something swam past them. A shadowy fish-like creature judging by the fin. The children huddled together. "Hello? We don't mean any harm, we're only looking for the Hippogriffs. Do you know if they're still here?" Iris boldly asked.

The same radiant sun-like glow from before manifested before them, lighting up the darkened cave. A feminine voice echoed within the light. "How do I know I can trust you?"

"Please." Akari begged, "The Storm King invaded our land. And we really need their help."

"The Storm King?!" The voice repeated, gasping in alarm. The glowing light took on a specific shape, her light dimming but still glowing radiantly.

The Guardians could hardly believe what they were seeing. Swimming before them was a beautiful Seapony! The first one they had ever encountered. She was young looking, around their age with pale yellow scales and aqua-colored fins on her head to resemble a mane. A single one hung over her head, illuminating brightly like a unicorn's horn. She had a cute pink sea anemone on her head, resembling a pink flower and a pale sandy pink collar around her neck where a shimmering pearl rested.

She had the head and front legs of a pony, only her 'hooves' were like fins, matching her mane-like fin and bright blue eyes that sparkled with wide-eyed beauty. Instead of back legs, she had a long tail with blue fins and transparent pink fluttery wings. She also had dorsal fins above her tail

"I'm so glad you guys aren't dead!" She said, speaking in a high pitched, excitable voice that reminded them of Pinkie Pie.

Nori gasped. "No. Way! You're a--"

"And you're a--"

"A Seapony!"

"A Merpony!"

Both Nori and the Seapony giggled and held hooves, swimming around one another excitedly. Their movements were reminiscent of ponies galloping happily around one another.

"Wait, aren't those the same thing?" Hozu asked, earning startled gasps from both Nori and the Seapony.

Nori swam up to him, crossing her front hooves. "For your information, Merponies are a subspecies of earth-ponies with the ability to change our lower halves into tails at will."

"While Seaponies--that's me--are purely half fish, half pony and live in water all the time!"

"Duh!" The two aquatic ponies said in unison and hoof pumped. They had only just met and already they were acting like they were life long friends.

"Ha! And you say you've been around." Hiro teased, nudging Hozu's arm.

The Seapony swarm around the Guardians like an energetic child. "I can't believe it! Visitors! It's been so long, somebody pinch me! Or should I pinch you? Maybe I'm hallucinating, the salt water's finally gotten into my brain--Wait! I'll pinch both of us!"

The Seapony pinched her own tail and then she pinched Gallant Steed's hoof. Really, really hard. On her, it didn't hurt as much, but on him it felt like a needle just pierced through his leg. She was a strong one, that was for sure.

"Ouch!"

"Nope! Not hallucinating. Yay! Oh, I'm sorry, it's just you have no idea how excited I am right now!"

"Really? Couldn't tell." Mai said sarcastically. The Seapony laughed, oblivious to the human girl's sarcasm.

"You're funny! I'm Sky Star, by the way. Princess Sky Star."

"It's nice to meet you Sky Star. I'm Iris. That's Mai, Akari, Gallant Steed, Nori, Hiro, Chi, Chrysalis and Hozu."

"Well, Iris, Mai, Akari, Gallant Steed, Nori, Hiro, Chi, Chrysalis and Hozu, I'm totally taking you to my mom!"

The Seapony--Sky Star--took Iris by the hand with her fin-hoof and started swimming alongside her. The others swam close behind. "Does your mother know where the Hippogriffs are?" Akari asked.

"Oho! She might have an idea!" SkyStar said in a singsong tone. Akari let out a happy cheer.

"I like her! She kind of reminds me of Cookie!" Hiro said as he swam alongside the others. There was just something about Sky Star's bubbly personality that reminded him of Pinkie and Cookie. How he missed them, and with her help, they just might be able to save their home yet.

(~)

"We're almost there!" SkyS tar swam at an even paste, fast enough to get them there fast, but not too fast as that the others couldn't keep up. They didn't even question on whether or not they should trust her. After all, nobody could fake that type of bubbly-ness.

Sky Star led them through a colorful sea tunnel, bypassing several colorful fish. On the other side of the cave resided a luminescent underwater palace, growing from the dome shaped cave. All around were shell-like houses and sea-caves were Seaponies resided. They were all slender and beautiful with bright colorful fins and pointed ears. But, when the children swam by, the poor sea creatures dove back into their anemones and sea caves. Mothers and fathers held their children back from swimming towards the new strangers.

Nori took notice at how jittery the Seaponies were. "Are they okay?" she asked Sky Star. "They seem so… scared."

"Yeah, well, we're not used to new guests is all. Come on! My place is just up ahead." Sky Star swam farther upwards, dodging Nori's question.

The children have seen many wondrous and beautiful things. Equestria and the spirit world was filled with all sorts of undiscovered lands that took their breath away every time. But this was unlike anything they had ever seen. Not even Nori, who had been traveling the ocean her entire life, could compare this sight to anything else she had seen.

The palace was a stunning glass and coral structure with see-through walls and pearls adorning its walls. The opening of the palace looked like an upside down flower and Sky Star invited them all inside. The seapony princess spun around, showcasing her home.

The interior was even more beautiful inside than it was outside, if that were possible. Neon-blue jellyfish-like strings dangled from the walls and around the throne room was a beautiful coral reef garden. A purple throne stood at the very center, where a pearl-white seapony sat. Her fins were purple as were her transparent fin-like wings. Blue fins grew from the top of her head, and a trail of peacock-like purple fins grew from her head down her back. Her fin-hooves were a light blue and she sat on her throne luxuriously, eyes closed enjoying the peace and quiet. Her golden crown sparkled in the light.

Sky Star swam up to her. "Mother, look what I found!"

"Is it another shell?" The older seapony asked, not even opening her eyes. She sighed and rubbed her eyes, almost in exhaustion. Judging by her reaction, this type of exchange between mother and daughter wasn't anything new.

"Because I am telling you if it is another shell, I am—" The seapony gasped loudly once she saw the guests her daughter had brought home. "Princess Sky Star, what have you done?! You know surface dwellers are forbidden here! Guards!"

At her command, four seapony guards swam up, aiming their spears at the guardians. "Whoa, whoa! Watch the bubble!" Hiro said, feeling the pointed end close to popping his only source of air.

"No no no! M-M-Mom, please! It is so not like that!" Sky Star said, begging her mother to have mercy on her new friends. "The Storm King is trying to destroy their home, too!"

"We need to find the Hippogriffs. Do you know what happened to them?" Iris asked, while Hiro carefully tapped on the tip of the spear pointed at his face.

"Well, of course I know. I'm the queen. I know everything." The seapony queen said with a sassy tone. He was the type of Queen that knew she was one, and wore it to the point she made sure nobody forgot it.

"Oh, it's such a good story!" Sky Star said eagerly as she swam.

"Don't you dare tell them!" The queen warned. But, as any teenage youth, Sky Star ignored her demands and just kept on doing what she was doing. The princess swam up to a wall, waving her fin around the surface and an illuminated illustration of Mount Aris with hippogriffs soaring across the sky appeared, all the while Sky Star narrated.

"Once upon a time, like, a while ago, the Hippogriffs did live on Mount Aris."

The queen slapped her fin against her head, shaking it in annoyance. "Did I not say don't tell them? But hey, I'm just the queen. Don't mind me."

"Fine! I can't tell you!" Sky Star rolled her eyes at her mother's attitude. For about two seconds before bouncing back to her excitable self once more. "But if I could tell you, I'd say that that horned beast did show up to steal their magic!" Sky Star swam to another window, where an illuminated image of the Storm King appeared.

"Seriously?" The queen said sarcastically, lounging on her throne yet again.

"But, to keep it out of his clutches, their brave and majestic leader, Queen Novo, hid them deep underwater where he could never go!"

Sky Star swam to two more walls, where images that depicted the same Hippogriff statue they saw back on the surface magically appeared, and another that depicted Sky Star's palace and the seaponies, which now that the Guardians were looking at it closely, the seaponies really did resemble the winged creatures from the last picture. The only difference was that their feathered wings were traded for transparent fins, their lower horse-legs had been changed into tail-fins, and their mussels resembled actual noses rather than beaks.

So, that could only mean…

"We are... Well, we were the Hippogriffs! Ta-da!" Sky Star giggled and whispered excitedly to Nori, "But I totally did not tell you that!"

The Guardians all looked at one another. So, the Hippogriffs were still alive after all and they had transformed themselves into seaponies to escape the Storm King's wrath. Their quest didn't end in vein after all.

"Well, I guess the pearl is out the oyster now. I am Queen Novo." The Queen said regally.

"Hang on a tick." Mai said as she swam towards the queen, only to be blocked by the spear of one of the seapony guards. "Let me get this straight. When the Storm King came, you just abandoned your entire city and fled?"

"We didn't flee! We swam!" Sky Star said with a snort, "Y'know, in order to flee."

"But how?" Iris asked.

"Oh! Can we show them? These are the first guests we've had in, like, foreveeerrr! Can we, can we, can we, can we, can we, can we, can we, can we, can we?" Sky Star tugged on her mother's shoulders excitedly while the queen sat stoically and unfazed.

Novo looked at her daughter and then at the children. She really shouldn't show them, but the damage was already done. They knew of their true origins, and knowing Sky Star, she was not going to give her a moment's peace if she didn't comply. Not to mention her daughter was almost always bored enough as it was, the least she could do was let her play with her new friends for a bit. They didn't seem that dangerous, and they were just kids.

"Well, I suppose I should make sure it still works."

Queen Novo swam out of her throne alongside her daughter towards a transparent jellyfish that hovered above her like a chandelier. Its translucent tendrils moved gracefully along the underwater current. The queen and princess swarm around it and the jellyfish released a shimmering pink pearl. Illuminating lights and spirals danced within it's core like a kaleidoscope. The Guardians looked at it in awe. The pearl had some deep, powerful magic contained within it.

Sky Star giggled excitedly as the pearl landed gently on her mother's outstretched fins. With an elegant wave of her hoof, the pearl sparkled and wisps of magical energy spiraled out like strings of gold before bursting into the form of flower petals that enveloped the Guardians. Chrysalis, Chi, Nori and Hozu stepped back, the magic focusing more on those who had the air bubbles.

Iris gasped when the bubble around her head burst, but she quickly found out that she didn't need it to breath anymore. The water around her felt like air from the surface, yet she could still feel the strength of the ocean currents around her body, merging with the magic of the pearl. Her father's scarf unraveled, but remained close around her shoulders like a floating shawl as the transformation took hold.

Iris's cloths melted away but she didn't feel embarrassed at all. Her shirt had transformed into a shimmering tube top with strings of pearls wrapped around her neck, connecting to the top, and a single underwater flower blossomed on the center. Her stomach was exposed and her legs had merged together to form a shimmering violet tail with blue, red and deep purple scales. Her fins were faded pink, matching the feathers of her wings with some added dorsal fins on the side to match. Her arms gained some shimmering scales that sparkled like sequins on her skin. Her wings had turned into transparent wing-shaped fins that floated gracefully behind her when she moved. Her dad's scarf floated around her, never once drifting apart from her no matter how much she moved.

Iris moved her new tail and did several flips in exhilaration. The same transformation happened to her cousins. Mai's new tail was a deep read with shades of orange, making it look like a dazzling flame and fins of gold. She wore a one shoulder top with colors that resembled a lion-fish, and a coral clip at the top. Like Iris, her stomach was also exposed. Hiro was shirtless, and his tail was green with shades of yellow, and his fins were a lemon lime color that reminded him of the same shade as his mother's eyes.

Akari and Gallant both received the same transformation, with Akari's mane turning transparent like fins and her lower half transforming into a tail-fin that matched her coat color. Her fins were the same color as her mane, accompanied with the streaks, and her cutie mark was on her dorsal fin and her wings were now transparent fins. Gallant Steed's fins also matched his own mane color and his cutie mark was also on his dorsal fin.

Nori couldn't contain her excitement. Her best friends had tails now! She swam up to Mai, who swiped her tail from side to side. The Sato heiress was already a good swimmer, but this was a completely new sensation for her. She managed to use her tail as if she had it her entire life.

"Oh, Mai! Your tail is like a sea of rubies!" Nori squealed with delight.

"Hey, sis, race ya to that coral!" Hiro challenged, already swimming around like a pro.

"You're on!" Mai adjusted her hat, which floated above her head and didn't separate from her, much like Iris's scarf. The two swam off, swimming right past Gallant Steed who was still adjusting to his fins. Akari already got the hang of it, swimming around with the same speed she possessed when she could fly on wings.

"Woo-hoo! Ooh! Try it, Gallant!"

Gallant moved his tail sideways and then up and down. "Cool!"

Iris and Akari swam side by side, a wave of 'Woo-hoo's and giggles filled the undersea palace. The entire time, Hozu couldn't take his eyes off of Iris. The tail really did suit her and she swam with all the grace and strength of a princess. He felt a nudge on his elbow and saw Chrysalis and Chi both smirking at him. Hozu turned away from Iris and the two shape shifters, his face tainted with red while folding his arms.

"This is incredible!" Iris said in excitedly, still astonished at the fact that she had been transformed into an actual mermaid!

Akari swam up to Queen Novo, "With this, we could transform the Storm King's army into something that will be powerless to fight back!"

"Or it could end up in his greedy claws!" Queen Novo rose from her throne, her face dark while holding the pearl close to her chest. Her tall presence toward over Akari, causing her to shrink.

"But…"

"Honey," The Queen's voice softened upon seeing the defeated look on the pony's face, "I'm sorry about your home. I truly am." The softness of her voice gained a new sense of authority, yet still kept at an even volume that made Akari feel both intimidated and at ease to know she wasn't going to do anything to harm her.

"But my responsibility is to protect my subjects." Novo extended her hoof and the jellyfish took the pearl from her, securing it within its tendrils and Novo sat back on her throne. "The pearl is not going anywhere."

Despite being surrounded by the cold waters of the darkest part of the ocean, Akari could feel the heat of nervousness envelop her body. The rest of the Guardians shared her distress. This pearl might have been their one and only chance to finally overpower the Storm King, knowing their own powers alone wouldn't be enough. The army was capable enough to trap even their most formidable warriors, they needed something else.

Iris swam up to the queen, in a desperate last minute attempt to get her to reconsider. "But we've come all this way. And you can't just hide down here! Trapped forever! There's so much you're missing!"

"We are one hundred percent okay with that!" Queen Novo insisted, "Aren't we, Sky Star?"

The princess took a little while to process what her mother had questioned her. "Huh? Oh, yes, yes, of course we are!" She said cheerfully as she swam around the Guardians. "I mean, we've got water, and the salt, and… and the seaweed, we have everything! Heh, heh." Sky Star gave a nervous laugh, trying to avoid her mother's cold stare.

They had only just met Sky Star, but the Guardians had already learned that the hippogriff-turned-seapony princess was not someone who masked her emotions well. She was an open book, and even with her forced smile the kids knew she wasn't being entirely honest. Sky Star's fin-shaped ears lowered as would a pony's ears to showcase sadness.

Akari looked at the guards. While Novo held her head up high with no visible hint of regret, the guards didn't succeed in masking theirs. Akari thought of the other seaponies they had seen on their way to the palace. They were all trembling in fear at the sight of the Guardians, and the palace was silent save for the sounds of moving currents. As bright and resplendent as the undersea wonderland was, the seaponies themselves looked just as Akari suspected they felt.

They were prisoners. Trapped under the waves in darkness, away from the land that was once their home.

Even Nori realized this. She had lived underwater her entire life. The sea was her home, and in her eyes there was no other place more magical than living under the waves. But, she was a merpony by blood. It was in her nature to feel at home underwater, but the Hippogriffs, they were creatures of the land and sky. A wild bird can never be happy inside a cage, no matter how beautiful it was. The same applied here. These winged creatures were stuck inside a cage. A beautiful underwater cage, but a cage none the less.

"No." Akari shook her head in defiance. "No, you're not okay with that. I don't think any of you are."

"Excuse me?"

The Guardians all cringed in concern when Queen Novo turned her cold eyes onto Akari. Sky Star held her breath.

"I understand you only did what you had to to save your people, but Iris is right. You weren't meant to live underwater for the rest of your lives. This isn't who you are!"

"That's enough out of you." The Queen warned, but the alicorn princess refused to back down.

"The Storm King took what was yours once, but you can take it back!"

"I said; That's enough!"

Before the argument could go on any further, Iris quickly swam up, holding Akari back. "Your Majesty, please. You're not the only one who's had to face the Storm King's wrath. We're only trying to held the ones we love."

"And I'm only trying to protect the ones I love. If living down here is what keeps us alive, then so be it." The Queen stated firmly. She kept her sharp gaze upon the two, daring them to say another word. Akari was tempted to narrow her eyes in the same manner but withheld herself.

Deep down, Iris felt just as infuriated. She understood the queen's reasoning, but Akari did make a valid point. If they just hid underwater forever then the Storm King would have won. How can anyone be one hundred percent okay in just succumbing to fear and letting a monster take control of everything you know and love?

Iris wanted to try and reason with Novo, but she knew that an argument would only make matters worse. Neither reasoning or tough negotiation would get through to this Queen. She was unbendable.

A small little octopus swam up to the queen. "Yes, Jamal?" the little aquatic creature spoke in jitters, which Novo apparently seemed to understand. Her once stern demeanor changed in a blink, she was now beaming excitedly. "Ooh! Time for my seaweed wrap."

With that, she swam away, her little octopus companion chittering once more behind her. "Yes, a massage, too. Mama needs her deep tissue."

"So that's it?" Mai asked once the queen was gone, "We left home for nothing?!"

"What are we supposed to do now?" Chi asked, her voice high in frustration.

"Oh… my gosh!" Sky Star then gasped, her eyes shimmering like a child's on Heart's Warming Day upon seeing his presents under the tree. "Best... idea! You can stay with us… forever!"

The young princess squealed with excitement, and swan from one corner of the palace to the next, picking up various objects from within the anemones and sea-flower bouquets that adorned the throne room.

"Oh! There are so many things we can do! We can make friendship bracelets out of shells, and picture frames out of shells, and decorative wastebaskets out of shells. Oh, I have so many projects that involve shells! Now I have someone new to share them with! I mean, aside from my friends, Shelly and Sheldon."

Sky Star showed the Guardians two little oysters, a purple and pink one, each with a pair of goggling eyes. The pink one had eyelashes stick to them.

The entire time the sea princess was swimming around to her heart's content, fantasizing about the many fun activities she could do with her new friends, all the Guardians could do was stare as if they were watching Cookie Cream in another one of her sugar rush episodes.

Hiro and Nori appeared to be the only ones who actually found any interest in Sky Star's suggestions. Nori had spent most of her childhood with her widowed father traveling across the seas of Equestria before settling down in Harmony City bay, so Nori was no stranger to using shells to create beautiful accessories to pass the time and to share with her friends.

As for Hiro, he simply adored Sky Star's adorably bubbly personality. She was so impeccably similar to Cookie Cream. The daughter of his mentor was like a second baby sister to him, no doubt she would have loved Sky Star.

"Right? "Shelly"? And "Sheldon"? Get it?" SkyStar chuckled and snorted as she demonstrated her new friends to her self-made companions. Nori thought they were adorable, but the other Guardians had a different take on the matter.

The fact that this princess had to make up her own friends from nonliving objects indicated that the poor thing was very lonely. Just like her cousin, Iris too couldn't help but develop a soft spot for the kind-hearted young seapony. Such wide-eyed innocence always managed to warm the Avatar's heart.

Chrysalis had to admit, Sky Star did a pretty good job with these little oysters, and Sky Star looked so excited to begin the activities she had planned, but the changeling lowered her ears in regret at what she was about to say.

"Oh, honey, that sounds like a lot of fun, but you must realize we can't stay."

"We have to get back to our families." Mai said, absentmindedly reaching out for the hat floating above her head. Her long raven locks elegantly moving around her like a black current.

"Oh, no. Of course. Of course. Of course you have your own friends back home. It's fine. It's fine." SkyStar insisted, trying to act as if their words didn't make her feel like one of the guard's spears had ran right through her chest.

She desperately hoped she managed to fool them enough so that they wouldn't see how disappointed she was. That unavoidable sparkle in Sky Star's eyes had extinguished in the time it took the children to blink. They never thought someone's spirits could drop so quickly, but Sky Star managed to prove them wrong.

Sky Star wasn't angry at the Guardians. After all, they had people to get back to, and even if she was looking forward to finally having some friends, she knew in her heart that keeping them away from their loved ones would be a fate worse than being stuck underwater away from her childhood home.

"Shelly and Sheldon get jealous anyways." SkyStar whispered, making sure her oyster friends didn't hear. "Heh. It's probably for the best."

"But, you've got other friends here too, right?" Hiro asked the saddened seapony, ignoring the glare he got from Nori. She swatted him behind his head with her tail, silently questioning him why he would ask such a thing. It was clear Sky Star was disappointed enough as it was, did he really need to make it worse?

"Oh, uh, yes! Yes, absolutely! I have, plenty of friends." Sky Star insisted, but the nervous chuckles that sprinkled her words were a dead give away. "I mean, sure being the princess and all can make it a bit tricky since, hippogriffs look up to royalty, and my mom is pretty strict and--" realizing she was revealing a bit too much, Sky Star shook her head. "But it's fine! You're right, I can totally make new friends--I mean Hang-Hangwith my new friends--No, I mean! Uh…"

Sky Star dropped her shoulders in defeat. She was really, really bad at hiding her emotions, unlike her mother. Novo was the ideal image of the picture perfect queen, something Sky Star could only ever hope to accomplish.

"Anyway… Yeah, I'll just, um…I'll get Mom to, uh, turn you back so you can go home." Sky Star swam off, holding Shelly and Sheldon close to her chest, her fin-shaped ears dropping sadly.

Hiro and Nori watched sadly as SkyStar disappeared behind a pillar. Hiro managed to catch the faintest hint of a stutter in the princess's tone. If it weren't for the salt water, he could have sworn he saw her about to cry.

Nori held her hooves close to her heart. "The poor sweetie."

Hiro bit his thumb and turned to the others. "Guys, I know we have to go, but you saw how disappointed Princess Sky Star was."

"Her and the rest of the seaponies." Nori pointed out. "I mean, I know the ocean can be a great place to live but, I'm a merpony. I was made for the ocean… they weren't."

"I agree." Gallant said. "They may be seaponies now, but they will always be hippogriffs at the core. No amount of metamorphosis can change that."

"Ruining lives seems to be the Storm King's calling." Chi muttered with visible bitterness, crossing her arms and gritting her teeth. "And he's disgustingly good at it."

Iris, Chrysalis and Mai agreed. Even Hozu felt bad about leaving the poor seapony princess alone by herself. It had been so long since he allowed himself to freely care about other people without the fear of hurting them, and looking at how scared and sad the seaponies really were, it made him feel a terrible ache in his chest.

Akari, on the other hand, was still trying to figure out a way on how they were going to get back home without the pearl. She refused to believe this was the end of the line for them. She refused to allow her nightmare to become a reality. There had to be another way.

Iris pondered on their situation for a bit. The queen was not going to hand them the pearl anytime soon, but the others made a good point. The Seaponies were indeed more depressed than the queen led them to believe. Even as she processed this she could feel the deafening silence filling the throne room and even outside, accompanied by the faint swishing of tail fins. The queen was only doing this to protect her subjects so…

Wait, that's it!

"Couldn't we stay for just a liiiiittle longer?" Hiro asked hopefully, placing his thumb and index finger together.

"Hiro, we just don't have time for—" Chi began, only to be cut short by Iris.

"Actually, Hiro might be onto something."

"Say what now?" Hozu asked, tilting his head in confusion.

"The queen is only keeping herself, Sky Star and everyone down here to protect them from the Storm King, right? But, I don't think she realizes just how miserable her subjects really are."

"Or she does and she's just too scared to face the Storm King again." Akari said, sounding more harshly than she had intended. Iris shrugged it off, understanding her friend's frustration, but the Avatar had a plan.

"Exactly. So, maybe we just have to remind them what they're missing back up there." Iris swam closer to Hiro, taking his hands into her own. "And, if there is anyone who knows how to cram a lifetime of fun into a blink of an eye, it's our very own Hiro Sato!"

The earthbender-turned merman smiled and rubbed his knuckles against his bear chest, then looked at his nails, looking all confident. "Well, can't argue with the facts. And Pinkie Pie did teach me everything she knows."

Akari swam up, "Iris, I know what you're getting at here but, what if Queen Novo still says no?"

"She might have said no to us, but who's to say she'll do the same to her subjects?" Chrysalis said. "I say it's worth a try. Besides, we're kind of out of other options here."

"So, your last chances of saving Equestria rests in you showing Sky Star and the rest of these sea--I mean, hippogriffs the best time ever?" Hozu asked, rather perplexed.

"Yep!" Hiro said enthusiastically. "Come on, guys! We've got a princess to cheer up!"

The other guardians swam after Hiro to find Sky Star, but the only ones who still lingered were Hozu and Akari. Hozu did so out of uncertainty. Their last means of getting the help they needed rested on having a little party? Well, it worked with the sky pirates, maybe it could work on the seaponies. After all, these Guardians were full of surprises--including Iris--they just might surprise him yet again.

Akari lingered longer, looking up at the jellyfish that still held the pearl. How easy would it be to just… No, no, no, no. Akari shook her head so rapidly that bubbles practically blinded her vision. Iris had a plan so she should trust her. After all, they were a team.

But, what if their plan wouldn't be enough? What if something went wrong again? Worst case scenario, the queen denies them again. Akari took one last lingering look at the jellyfish and swam off behind her friends.

The image of the pearl within her grasp trailed at the back of her mind like a vail.

(~)

Princess SkyStar curled herself into a corner of the palace. She was going to keep her word. She would find her mother and ask her to change the Guardians back into themselves so they could return home. Sky Star held her breath, bitting into her cheek to keep the tears from coming out. She had only just met these guys and yet, she already felt like a part of her was being ripped right out of her.

She felt the tears already presaging her of their inevitable escape but she whittled herself. "It's probably for the best." She said. A sob had managed to make its way out of her mouth and she quickly sucked in her lips.

"No, no! Princesses don't cry… princesses… don't… cry." SkyStar closed her eyes shut to the point that they ached. She tried to stop the tears, but they wouldn't obey.

The princess heard the sound of moving bubbles and when she opened her eyes she saw Shelly and Sheldon, both being held by Hiro who spoke to her using funny voices to match the two. The gesture made Sky Star smile for a moment.

Hiro:

Hey, now, don't be sad

I know we cannot stay

But we've got a couple minutes

And a little time to play

Sky Star beamed with excitement. All of the Guardians, Hozu included, wanted to stay around longer to have fun with her. As wonderful as it was, it probably wouldn't matter knowing they would have to leave at some point. Sky Star didn't want to be selfish, especially towards such brave folks, she just didn't have the heart to let them stay just for her sake.

SkyStar:

I know you have important things

So it's okay, just go

Hiro:

But we can still pick one small, little thing

To do with you, y'know!

Hiro gestured to Sky Star to follow him. She tilted her head in confusion, only to be surprised when the rest of the Guardians all gave her a friendly push out the palace entrance and swam out the palace and into the seapony kingdom.

The Guardians may have still needed help, but even so, they genuinely wanted Sky Star and her fellow subjects regain something they had lost. It wasn't fair that they were stuck underwater, afraid of the Storm King. They knew they could have their lives back, they just needed some reminding.

And if there was any group that made it their life's mission to make new friends and bring them happiness, it was the Guardians of Harmony!

Hiro:

One small thing doesn't seem like a lot

One small thing

Work with the time you've got

To start off their fun, the Guardians all did some funny faces on the reflective surface of a small shell, which was revealed to be so small it fit Hiro's palm. He tossed it to Nori, who worked her skills and created a beautiful seashell friendship necklace with seashells that carried the colors that corresponded with each of the Guardians themselves. The green and purple ones made the center. Iris kindly wrapped the new gift around Sky Star's neck.

It was such a small, little gift… and it was more precious to Sky Star than the rarest of ocean pearls.

Nori:

Soon, one small thing becomes two

After two, perhaps another few

Then one small thing is not so small

Hiro and Nori:

One small thing can be the biggest thing of all

Both Hiro and Nori took one of Sky Star's fins and spun around her as the other Guardians swam around, encouraging the princess to join them. Maybe they couldn't stay for long, but maybe spending this little time together would be enough. And who knows, maybe these small things can actually become larger than Sky Star had hoped.

One thing was certain, for once in her life she finally felt like she had friends who genuinely wanted to befriend her, rather than treat her with such respect due to her royal tittle. She was not about to waste another moment.

SkyStar:

All right now, since you're here

Let's see what we can do

Swim with the flow until you go

Together, me and you

The kids swam alongside some large fish, some even mounted onto them. Hozu even rode on one as if it were a surfboard. Iris giggled at his antics, as did Sky Star. That looked like a lot of fun.

Nori had already made some more seashell necklaces and handed them to the bypassing seaponies, who looked at the children in surprise. Several of the younger seaponies dared to leave their homes and swim out to see what all the fuss was about. These surface dwellers certainly knew how to have fun.

Nori:

I've got necklaces for everyfish

So what else do ya got?

SkyStar:

Well, we could play the bubble-fish

You'll like this one a lot!

Each of the Guardians took a single fish and when they squeezed it, bubbles came out. They chased one another, squirting bubbles as if they were guns, pretending they were having an all out war to the death. Sky Star laughed out loud at Nori's over exaggerated 'death-scene' at her own fins. Hiro even ambushed the two with a sneak attack of his own.

But, while everyone else was singing, one pony in particular couldn't stop thinking about her dream, the Storm King, the destroyed Hippogriff city… and the pearl.

Nori and SkyStar:

One small thing

It's a good place to start

Mai, Chi, Iris, Gallant, Hozu, Chrysalis:

(Just one small thing)

Hiro and SkyStar:

One small thing

And we don't seem so far apart

Mai, Chi, Iris, Gallant, Hozu, Chrysalis:

(Don't seem apart)

The Guardians dispersed, only to welcome more of the seaponies to join the fun. Gallant Steed, being the gentlecolt that he was, offered his hoof to a shy-looking seapony, asking her to join along with more teenager seaponies.

Mai and Nori called upon even the adults and the younger ones to come along. They were a bit hesitant at first, until both Mai and Iris showered them with the seashell necklaces Nori had made. Not only were these strangers colorful, fun and charming, but they were kind as well. It had been so long since the hippogriffs had experienced this type of kindness from strangers.

This managed to encourage the shy creatures to join in the simple fun. It wasn't much, just a group of friends doing small things together. And yet, those small things seemed to mean so much more.

All:

Soon, one small thing leads to more

It's so much more than there was before

Just one small thing, and you will see

The start of something big for you and me

Hozu watched in amazement. Their plan was actually working. The seaponies were having fun, and they were glowing.

Literally glowing!

Their light illuminated the dark ocean, bringing in an assortment of radiant colors.

However, Hozu noticed that somebody wasn't joining the fun. His eyes caught the sight of a familiar pink and blue figure swimming away from the activities. Before he could comprehend exactly what he was doing, he followed the figure, while Queen Novo swam out of her seaweed wrap appointment, narrowing her eyes and looking out to see what all the commotion was about.

To her surprise, she saw all of her subjects not only singing and dancing like they did when they lived above land, but shimmering with bright colors in a way Novo never imagined they could do. And those surface dwellers were right in the middle of it all.

Iris held a floating tiny jellyfish in her palm while a row of seaponies danced behind her.

Iris:

One small thing

Seaponies:

Just one small thing

Mai swam up swaying her hips near a tall jellyfish alongside more seapony singers.

Mai:

Or a tall thing

Seaponies:

Just one tall thing

Nori found a microphone and got some teenage male seaponies to form a small band with seashells for drums and a seaweed made guitar. One male seapony was dark blue with warm brown eyes and he swam alongside Nori as she belted it out like the musical diva she was.

Nori:

Or a sing thing!

Seapony boys:

Just one sing-y thing

Chrysalis swam up, moving two seashells to create a shimmering bubble heart behind her.

Chrysalis:

Or a bling thing

Seaponies:

Just one bling-y thing

Gallant Steed came along with a conga line, as did Chi, only hers was even longer.

Gallant Steed:

Or a conga thing

Seaponies:

Yeah, a conga thing

Chi:

Or a longah thing

Seaponies:

Just one longah thing

Hiro:

A blue thing

True thing

You thing

SkyStar:

A whee thing

Sea thing

Me thing

Seaponies:

(Oooh-oooh-oooh!)

Hiro and SkyStar swam around, both holding onto each other's fins, swimming in a circle alongside other seaponies who copied their movements and several sea turtles who's shells began to glow and change colors. Once, the sea kingdom was illuminated mainly by the purplish lights of the palace of the seaponies's homes, but now an array of colors were seen at every turn. Life had been restored to the kingdom, and the seaponies felt alive once more.

Singing and dancing like this, it was just like back above when they flew together, celebrating their freedom to fly. Swimming was a lot like flying, but remaining in the darkness of the ocean sucked away so much of their spirits.

Thanks to these guardians, those lost spirits had been restored.

Guardians and SkyStar:

So many things and everything until our time is done

There's one small thing for each and everyone!

Queen Novo swam up, emerging from the crowd of seaponies, all of which bowed their heads. Their beautiful glows didn't falter, but they ceased their festivities in the presence of their Queen.

Novo was just about ready to school her daughter about interrupting her seaweed wrap, but when she arrived… her stern expression softened.

Sky Star was always such a lively child, but for the first time in so many years, she saw a new kind of radiance shone out of her that she hadn't seen in years. Memories from when little Sky Star would soar above the clouds with such fearless joy came back into Novo's mind, making the hardened edges of her heart slowly start to crumble.

Even her subjects looked different. They were glowing in a way Novo hand't seen in years. She didn't realize just how disconsolate her entire life had become. Seeing her daughter and subjects so content had restored something in Novo she hadn't realized had been forgotten.

Sky Star didn't know how she could ever thank her new friends. To think, this short time together made up for all those years she felt so isolated and bored. The other still shimmeringly colorful seaponies gathered around their new friends as Sky Star took Hiro and Nori's hands and hooves into her fins.

The three twirled together. Sky Star felt her heart swell up with an indescribable joy she was compelled to hug her two new friends a hug. The two felt their own hearts fill up with that same exact joy.

SkyStar:

One small thing

So much we can create

You and me

We started something great

It's so amazing, look around

At all the happy sights and sounds

One small thing is big, it's true

You did this all for us

Sky Star's eyes sparkled when she saw her mother, for once, not all stern and disapproving of all the noise, but genuinely happy. She reached out for her mother, inviting her to join the fun. Once she was surrounded by all of her subjects, in that instant, Novo's own scales began to shimmer and glow. Their happiness reached her heart, which was soaring.

I just wish there was one small thing

An extra special kind of thing

SkyStar and Seaponies:

That we could do for you...

One small thing!

The seaponies and the two royals danced and sang the final note. Sky Star and Novo struck a final pose and the queen, much to Sky Star's surprise and delight… She laughed!

Queen Novo was flipping around and laughing as if she were a teenager again. Iris held her hands close to her heart. Her plan worked. They not only gained new friends, but they even helped restore their spirits. This enough to give Iris and the others the hope they needed, and the hope these Hippogriffs needed.

Iris and Mai hugged Hiro, who wrapped his arms around his younger sister and older cousin. Chi hugged all three of them, and Nori, Gallant and Chrysalis joined in. Gallant ruffled Hiro's hair. The children laughed along with the queen and the other seaponies.

Once Novo managed to calm herself, Sky Star swam up, giving her mother a gleeful grin. The queen giggled. "Well, I guess there is one small thing we can do."

The Guardians gasped with delight. The teachings of their mentors rang true in their ears and hearts. Friendship was truly the most powerful magic of all, and it was the kind of magic that would save their home. There was no doubt about it.

"Wait." Iris voiced out, looking around, gently lowering her father's scarf which floated in front of her face. "Where's Akari?"

"And Hozu?" Gallant Steed asked.

The sound of an alarm blared, echoing through the waves. Several puffer fish puffed up and one by one the seaponies lost their shimmering glows. Parents gathered their children while others swam in fear back to their homes while frightfully shouting.

"The Pearl Alarm!"

"Someone's trying to steal the pearl!"

The sound of a familiar cry was heard. The other Guardians saw Akari, rolling in the water as if she had been pushed and lost her balance. She was thrown out of the opening of the palace, waving her front hooves in a desperate attempt to regain her balance.

"Akari!" Iris and Gallant Steed hurried to her side to help the dizzy alicorn princess. Akari shook her head, rubbing it with her hoof. She gasped, her eyes staring at the opening of the palace.

Sky Star and Novo exchanged worried looks and swam ahead. The Guardians followed behind them, Akari swimming even faster than the others.

Once they had arrived, the sound of the alarm grew louder to the point it boomed in their ears. The gentle flashing of a red light came from above the throne, from the large jellyfish that guarded the magical pearl. Its tendrils had been extended, holding the pearl in one tendril, while the others had wrapped themselves around the intruder, who struggled to break free. Each movement caused the jellyfish to sting him.

It was Hozu!

Iris gasped, her head flooding with questions while Akari merely looked terrified. Queen Novo looked equally horrified, which quickly changed into a look of unadulterated outrage. She literally growled like an angry lion, her scales rising and the edges of her wing-shaped fins became sharper.

Sky Star held her fins over her mouth in shock and worry as her mother swam up towards Hozu, taking the pearl away by force. Her movements sending a chill up Hozu's spin and he stopped struggling to break free of the jellyfish. The stings he received couldn't be any worse than what the queen would do to him now.

"All of this so you could sneak in and take the pearl?!"

"No!" Hozu cried out, "This--This isn't what it looks like!"

But Novo didn't listen. She forcibly dragged her daughter away from the intruders. The glow of happiness that once surrounded her had disappeared. Now all that filled her heart was nothing but rage and the sting of betrayal.

"This is why we don't bring strangers into our home!" Novo exclaimed. Sky Star had never felt more afraid of her mother in her life. She managed to pry herself off of her mother's tight grip, but the force of it still lingered.

Iris swam up, daring to speak up to the enraged royal. "Queen Novo, I'm sure this is all a big misunderstanding. Hozu wouldn't--"

"You dare speak to me after what you just did?!" For the first time, Queen Novo's normally leveled authoritative tone grew louder than it ever had. It was enough to make Iris recoil in terror. Chi held Iris back protectively, while a trembling Akari was secured in Gallant Steed's hooves.

"Toying with my daughter's emotions and those of my subjects just to get what you want!"

"No, that's not--"

"To think, I was foolish enough to actually consider helping you!"

Akari's eyes widened and she could feel herself shrink in Gallant's embrace. She still couldn't get her voice to work. The Queen towered over them, her wings spread out like a bird of pray ready to attack. The Guardians huddled together, terrified at what she would do. The shadows of the ocean had transformed her face into a horrifying creature.

"You don't deserve to be one of us."

Novo's voice was ominous as she held the pearl close to her face, the light making the details of her angry expression more defined as the magic swirled within the pearl. The same energy surrounded the Guardians and Hozu, freeing him from his bindings, only rather than the warmth they had experienced during their first transformation, all they could feel was the coldness of the Queen's heart.

The Guardians and Hozu screamed as the energy engulfed them, keeping them contained and ricocheting them out of the palace, out of their kingdom and back to the surface from which they came.

Sky Star reached out her fin in a final desperate attempt to grab at least one of their hands or hooves, but it was too late. They were gone. The seaponies outside watched the whole ordeal and swam back to their homes. The happiness they once felt had evaporated and they returned to their dull undersea lives.

Sky Star's lower lip trembled and sniffed while her mother placed the pearl back into the jellyfish where it belonged.

"Mother, how could you?! You didn't even let them explain!"

"I don't need any explanations! They tried to steal our pearl!"

Sky Star shrunk down, but then something, something she wasn't entirely sure what it was, took over. Rather than succumb to her mother's authority, Sky Star spoke back.

"They were only trying to help their friends, Mom!"

"Are you actually defending them? They almost ruined our way of life!"

"This isn't our way of life!" Sky Star snapped, for the first time, daring to tower over her own mother. "We don't belong in the ocean, Mom! We belong up there, on Mount Aris! Our home!"

"This is our home now!" Novo exclaimed, both mother and daughter competing to be the bigger pony. "Here we are safe!"

"If by "safe" you mean "trapped" then yes, you're absolutely right!"

"I am the Queen! I know what's best for my people! I know what's best for you!"

"Didn't you see what happened before?! When was the last time you saw everyone this happy, Mom? When?!"

Novo opened her mouth to speak, but her answer wouldn't come out.

"I know you want to keep us safe from the Storm King, but this isn't who we are. You might be content with hiding away forever while the Storm King keeps destroying lives, but I'm not! I don't want to live like this anymore, none of us do, and I know you don't either!"

Sky Star finally stopped, her eyes widened in terror and her body shrinking back when her mother, eyes shimmering as if she would cry, raised her fin up in a threatening manner. Novo's fin trembled, her mind debating on whether or not she should act out on such a manner. She didn't even know what came over her, but the idea of facing the Storm King again had triggered something within her she couldn't control until she saw the frightened look on her daughter's face.

Novo finally decided not to act on her impulses and lowered her fin, her eyes filled with regret. "When you're Queen, you will understand."

Sky Star turned away from her mother, refusing to look back as she swam towards the exit of the palace, but not before saying her final words.

"We may be alive… but our spirits are dead."

With that, Sky Star swam out, her voice trembling and Queen Novo was left alone. She sat on her throne, taking in a deep breath, masking her pain. Just like she always did.

(~)

Space Between

*(~)*

1 Corinthians 13:7 ~

Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

*(~)*

Space Between

The Guardians gasped for air once they reached the surface of the water. Iris, Mai and Hiro's tails had disappeared, their normal cloths returning and Akari and Gallant had reverted back into their normal pony forms. Chi and Chrysalis, though not having experienced the first transformation, were forced back into their original forms by the pearl's magic. The only ones who didn't gasp for air were Hozu and Nori.

The team swam up to the shoreline of a small jagged rock island that surround the borders of Mount Aris. Everyone minus Nori and Hozu panted and dried themselves. Iris, Hiro and Mai's cloths were soaked with salt water while Chi changed into her wolf form to shake herself dry before shifting back.

The skies turned gray, a thick fog surrounded the bay. The dreary weather matched the children's current mood. Iris panted, her hair dripping wet until she waterbended herself dry. The saddened Avatar sat on the side of the shoreline. She saw Hozu approach her, his cloths and hair already dry.

"Iris. Please, let me explain. I--" Hozu was truck down when Mai stood in between him and her cousin, throwing a punch directly at his pretty-boy face. The force was enough to send Hozu tumbling backwards. He rubbed his jaw once he was on the ground. Her knuckles felt like a ton of bricks.

"You stay away from her!" Mai snapped, knuckles clenched, shielding her cousin from the supposed traitor. "Do you have any idea what you've done?! The Queen was going to say yes! We followed Iris's plan that's what made her realize we were worth saving! Now, thanks to you, we've lost any chance of saving Equestria!"

"Mai, stop!" Iris came in between her and Hozu, who was still rubbing his face from Mai's punch. "Let him explain."

"Explain what? You saw what happened, we all did!" Mai marched towards Hozu, who had now stood up, yet stared at the young woman in terror. She was a couple heads shorter than him, and yet she carried a truly intimidating presence that rivaled Queen Novo herself. "That was our last chance. Our last chance and you messed it up, just like everything else!"

"Enough!" Iris held her cousin by the shoulders. "Let's just hear him out."

Mai angrily removed her cousin's hands. "Snap out of it, Iris! Everything that's gone wrong was because of him!"

"Not everything. He tried to warn us about Capper, remember?"

"Who he stole from!" Mai reminded her. "He's just as much a criminal as Capper was!"

"He saved you from dying from Tempest's blast!"

"And his spell went out of control and nearly killed all of us in the process! Not to mention, if it wasn't for him, Tempest wouldn't have found us! Who knows what she has done to Celaeno and her crew by now!"

Chi gasped at the thought. She didn't even think about what Tempest would have done to them. She assumed she'd let them go but… that unicorn was a lot of things. Merciful was not one of them.

"He's unstable, and dangerous. For all we know, he was going to use the pearl to turn himself human!"

"We don't know that!" Iris exclaimed. "Hozu is our friend, he would never--!"

"We met him two days ago and you already think you know him? This whole infatuation is clouding your head, Iris!"

"And you're letting your anger cloud yours!"

"Stop it! Both of you!" Hozu shouted, causing the girls to cease their arguing. He didn't know where that outburst came from, but he couldn't stand seeing these two girls--cousins, no less--to fight like this because of him.

Iris took advantage of the temporary calmness and turned directly towards the half-nymph hybrid. "Hozu. Tell me the truth. Were you going to take the pearl or not?"

Hozu was just about to give her his answer until he saw Mai's eyes. Filled with irrefutable rage, while the others stared at him with looks of confusion or concern. They all kept their distance, save for Iris. Chrysalis had her hoof wrapped protectively around Nori, while Chi kept a neutral expression. Gallant Steed and Hiro looked confused and worried, but Akari's face was the one that stung Hozu's heart the most.

He looked at her with anticipation, but the alicorn princess was frozen in place. Her mind was going at a million places a minute, her eyes shifting from Hozu, to Iris, to Mai to everyone else. Akari stepped forward, her mouth quivering as if she were about to speak. But, her voice failed her.

Everyone's eyes were on Hozu, while Akari stood trembling from the inside out. It was clear that she had never been in a position like this before. Not once in her entire life.

Hozu could have easily explained to them what happened, they would have understood but… what would that do to Akari? No matter what he did, he was only going to make matters worse. If he told them he did try to steal the pearl they would push him away just like everyone else did. But, if he told them his true intentions, then there would still be a rift between the group.

Was it worth it? They were friends, they would be forgiving, right? But… he just didn't have the heart to do it.

Hozu would rather have them be angry at him than with each other and risk any chance of their Friendship being torn apart. Their Friendship was the only thing they had left. As for Hozu… he's lived his entire life without anyone, maybe it was better that way.

After all, look what caring for others had brought him? Nothing but misery, and despite everything Iris had said to him that still didn't change. If this was what friendship was for someone like him, then Iris was wrong. Hozu would be better off alone. Always have been, always will be.

"Guys… I--" Just as Akari had decided to speak up, Hozu cut her short… by chuckling.

"What's so funny?" Nori asked, surprised by Hozu's sudden, and rather disturbing change in demeanor.

"Nothing?" Hozu replied, looking rather calm despite the whole ordeal. "As for your question, Princess…" he looked at Iris. Beautiful violet eyes shimmering with anticipation at his answer. "…What you see is what you get."

The Avatar's heart dropped like a stone and Mai's jaw clenched, her teeth bare. The rest of the Guardians gasped at his responce, but Akari was the most startled.

"Hozu, no!" The alicorn protested.

"Hey, it's fine. It's fine." Hozu insisted, but even now his cool-guy persona was already wavering.

"No, it's not fine." Iris's voice trembled, her eyes already misty with the tears taking form on the corner of her eyes. "I thought, you--"

"You thought wrong, Iris!" Hozu snapped, his facade now completely gone. Iris opened her mouth to speak again, but Hozu stopped her by diving into the waters before she could say another word.

"Hozu, wait!" She cried out, but it was too late. Hozu had disappeared underneath the waves.

Akari galloped towards the shoreline, calling out to him. "Hozu, come back! Please!" she cried out.

"It's for the best." Mai said stoically. "He betrayed us."

"No he didn't! I did!" Akari's wings spread out, her voice louder than ever before.

Everyone, including Iris, gasped in horror at the revelation. "What are you talking about?" Gallant asked, his ears dropping. What did Akari meant by saying she had betrayed them and not Hozu.

Akari dropped her head in shame. "Hozu saw me trying to grab the pearl and pushed me out of the way before the jellyfish would grab me. He was only trying to protect me."

The alicorn princess couldn't bare to stand any longer and sat down. Her heart felt heavy against her chest. As if Iris didn't feel broken enough already, now she has come to realize it was not the boy she liked who had jeopardized their chances of saving their families… but her own best friend?!

Mai felt like the biggest idiot. This whole time, she had blamed Hozu for what happened, but he was innocent the whole time. She accused him of being the source of all their misfortunes only to realize he was trying to save Akari from getting caught…. and that's why he left now. He didn't want Akari to take the blame for something he didn't do. He didn't want them to be angry with her, so he sacrificed his friendship with them for her.

Iris was right, Hozu really wasn't as bad as she thought.

Chi, Nori, Hiro, Chrysalis and Gallant Steed were downright mortified. Hiro gasped in horrible realization, "You didn't really want to show Sky Star the best time ever, did you? You used Iris's plan as a distraction!"

"Akari, why would you do that?" Iris asked, her voice trembling, her heart feeling like a knife had juts sliced it in two. She thought Hozu's "betrayal" was the most painful thing she could have ever felt, but she was wrong. It was Akari's.

"I'm sorry, but I couldn't risk it! Hozu was right, this isn't Equestria!" Akari snapped as she stood back up. "We can't just dance around with con artists, make rainbow clouds in the sky, and expect everything to work out! It's not enough! We are not enough!"

"No, Akari. We stuck together." Iris said, her voice firm and strong. "We were going to get the help we needed. Don't you remember what we promised when we became the Elements? Our mission is to spread Friendship, and that's what we've been doing! I know the journey hasn't been easy, but we've come this far already! We could have gotten the Queen's help but, for some reason you took matters into your own hooves! Why? Akari, why?!"

"I didn't know what else to do!" Akari snapped. It was so rare for these two to fight. "I'm not you, Iris!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Ever since we were kids, you've been always better at this princess stuff than I was! All I did was frolic around in the Everfree Forest and now I can't even keep up with you! You always know just what to say to all those diplomats and politicians while I couldn't even get a word out!"

"So what? What does that got to do with any of this?"

"I've always treated our duties as Elements as some grand adventure, excited to face the next biggest challenge, but I never took my responsibilities as a Princess seriously! The Friendship Festival was my chance to finally make up for all those years of procrastination and I failed!"

Iris's eyes softened at Akari's reveal. She knew her friend had been feeling the pressure of the Festival, but she assumed Akari would just trust in her friends and everything would work out. Carrying the weight of responsibility used to be Iris's thing, but Akari was always so confident and sure of herself, and even if she wasn't the most diplomatically eloquent pony, Iris would have been more than happy to help her. Yet, Akari didn't seem to comprehend that for some reason.

"I couldn't even save my own mother, what if I couldn't save you or anyone else? The Storm King is unlike any foe we have ever faced, I couldn't risk loosing any of you guys the same way I lost my parents!"

"They're not lost, Akari." Iris said, speaking softly, "We can still save them."

"How?! I've ruined our only chance! I tried to be smart, I tried to be rational and look where it got us! I couldn't even properly negotiate with Queen Novo! You had to step in and save my tail! Again!" Akari was already sobbing. She felt so ashamed she couldn't even accept her own boyfriend's invite for a hug. "I thought I was good at this… but I'm not. I ruined everything. There's no chance to save Equestria now. And it's all my fault!"

Akari couldn't stay any longer. She spread out her wings and flew off to the high peek of one of the rocks, ignoring Gallant Steed calling out her name. The other Guardians knew that what Akari did was wrong. Attempting to steal the seaponies' pearl, and letting Hozu take the blame like that was uncalled for. It wasn't like Akari to do something like this, but at the same time they should have realized she was going through so much pressure.

Akari was always the confident, level-headed princess who knew how to take on an Ursa Minor is she wanted to. She knew just as many spells as her mother, was the strongest warrior they knew, and she was always Iris's source of support and confidence. Maybe, for some, it was easier to give advice than to follow it themselves.

The two princess's exchange reminded them that they weren't fourteen-year-olds anymore. Their mindsets have evolved, maybe not as drastically as one would expect, but they have come a long way. Maybe it had finally dawned on Akari that, other than being a fierce warrior, she was also a Princess and she would have to deal with things she didn't always take seriously as a kid. The Festival was her first time to finally do that, and it was destroyed by the Storm King's army. Nobody could have predicted that, but Akari, being the protective type that she was, felt it was her responsibility to see to it that they succeeded at their mission.

Realizing this, the anger they should have felt faded away, replaced by only concern and regret. Gallant Steed kept his eyes up to where Akari had flown. "I'll go and talk to her."

"No, Gallant." Iris said, stoping him. "I think I'm the one who should talk with her."

Gallant looked into Iris's eyes an immediately knew that she was right. Gallant Steed was always an understanding boyfriend, and he understood when it needed to be Iris who had to speak with Akari instead of him. He nodded and Iris spread out her wings, following her friend, while the others stayed behind.

(~)

Iris quickly found Akari, sitting dejectedly on a rock. Her mane falling limply over the left side of her neck, her head hung low. She sat cross legged beside her best friend.

"I'm not angry." Iris said compassionately.

"I know you're not." Akari replied, unmoving. "You don't hold grudges. But it is my fault."

Iris didn't say anything in responce to that. The alicorn felt guilty enough as it was. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For being blind. I should have understood what you were going through, but I really thought that you'd trust in us."

"It's not that I don't trust you, Petals. I felt responsible."

"Akari, none of us saw the invasion coming. It wasn't your fault, it was nobody's fault. Even if we did fight back, we would have been trapped by those cages. We had no other choice, you can't blame yourself for that."

Akari lifted her head, but her tear filled eyes were directed at the ocean. The waves crashing against the rocks. "I know you're right." she sniffed. "But I couldn't just treat this like I did all our other missions. I treated them like fun and games."

"And that's one of many things I've always admired about you, Kars." Iris said, gently lifting Akari's chin to face her and wiping the tears with her thumb. "Nobody was more excited for a new adventure like you were. Your explorer record rivals even Daring Do herself."

"But, you're so knowledgeable about this politics stuff. Mom always told me, "Akari, pay attention! You'll need to know this one day!", and I always said, "Yeah, yeah, Mom, I'll get on it.", but I never did. I didn't care about it enough, I only cared about the thrill rides and being there for you. Protecting you was something I took very seriously, but look at you now. You've grown into your own, while I feel like I'm trailing behind. You don't need me anymore."

Iris couldn't helped by chuckle at the absurdity. "Akari, that is so not true! I will always need you. Ever since we were kids, you always encouraged me to try new things. Whenever I had doubts, you were always there to lift me back up. Even when I made a mistake, you never turned away from me. I'm who I am today because of you. You have and always will be the best part of me."

Iris took Akari's hooves into her hands. "So, you still need some work in the diplomacy part, who what? You can bet I will always be there to help you just as you've helped me. Remember our first mission? When we went into the Dark Spirit Realm to save our parents? And I was so blinded by my own ambition that I couldn't see all the good that came from you guys?"

Akari's eyes widened and she wanted so badly to slap herself in the face. "Oh… my… gosh… You've turned me into you!"

Iris laughed out loud. "But, while I was more concerned about being a hero like my mom, you were worried about letting everyone down, and you didn't think your old self was enough to help us this time. You tried to be the adult you believed you needed to be, but you've turned a blind eye to all the good that came out of this journey. It's no different than what I did."

"I'm not sure how I'm supposed to take that." Akari said, starting to sound like her old self again, despite her puffy eyes.

"It means, even if you still have much to learn, you're already aware of the fact that you need to learn more. The old Akari would have shrugged it off and leave it for another day, but you didn't. Not anymore. Just as the old me would have probably done what you did just now, but I now know to trust in The Magic of Friendship."

"Something I should have remembered."

"Well, sometimes we need to learn the hard lessons on our own. Especially for action oriented gals like us."

That joke was enough to make Akari laugh. The two friends laughed out loud, louder than they had throughout this entire journey. Akari still shed tears, but these were tears of joy.

Everything became so clear now. Akari had believed she was falling behind in development but, as it turns out, she was growing up just as much as Iris was. She didn't think her old adventurous self was enough anymore to be a good princess, but if it helped Iris become the leader she was now then… maybe Akari didn't need to loose that part of herself in order to grow up after all. And Iris was right, Akari wasn't the kind to casually brush these things off anymore. She had grown, and it was because of Iris's influence, and with her guidance Akari will become a wiser princess as well.

Much like their mothers before them; they have become better princesses simply by knowing each other.

(Space Between from Descendants 2)

Iris:

I know just what you

Are going through

Pretending you were fine

You didn't have to hide

Akari:

I didn't want to let you down

But the truth is out

It was tearing me apart

Should have told you from the start

I know I have to grow

Iris:

And I will be with you

Akari:

Even though we've changed

Iris:

Nothing has to change

Iris and Akari:

You can find me in the space between

When two worlds come to meet

I'll never be out of reach

'Cause you're a part of me so you can find me in the space between

You'll never be alone

No matter where you go

We can meet

In the Space Between

As the two best friends sang, they recalled all the times they shared together. From their adventure facing Ronin, to all those small moments with their friends and their first quest to save their parents. Through it all, Iris and Akari faced them together. Their bond was similar to their mothers' in a lot of ways, but also different in may ways as well. But, probably the biggest similarity they had was that they brought out the best in each other.

Akari looked at her own reflection on the surface of a shinny stone, where Iris manifested beside her.

Akari:

Nothing can stay the same

It's growing pains

Iris:

Be proud of all the scars

They make you who you are

Oh, oh, oh

We all get led astray

Akari:

But I will always find you

Iris:

Nothing has to change

Akari:

Even though we've changed

Iris and Akari:

You can find me in the space between

When two worlds come to meet

I'll never be out of reach

'Cause you're a part of me so you can find me in the space between

You'll never be alone

No matter where you go

We can meet

In the Space Between

The waves appeared to reflect their singing. When they reached high notes, the waves crashed harder against the rocks. The shimmering sea foam reached even the highest peak to where they were as the seagulls flew above their heads.

Akari:

There are no words left to say

Iris:

I know you've got to find your place

Akari:

But this is not the end

Iris:

You're part of who I am

Iris and Akari:

Even if we're worlds apart

Still in my heart it will always be

You and me!

Yeah!

The two pressed their hands, hooves and foreheads together as magical sparkles spiraled around them, enveloping them in the magic of their friendship. No matter what trials or mistakes came their way, there was no force on this or any other world that could break apart the friendship they had.

As they sang, Gallant Steed, who had decided to come up and check on them, stopped on his tracks and smiled at the two best friends sharing their moment.

Iris:

You can find me in the space between

Iris and Akari:

When two worlds come to meet

Iris:

I'll never be out of reach

Akari:

I'll never be out of reach

Iris and Akari:

'Cause you're a part of me so you can find me in the space between

Iris:

You'll never be alone

Akari:

No matter where you go

Iris and Akari:

We can meet

In the Space Between

Yeah!

Akari:

No mater where you go

Iris:

No matter where you go

Iris and Akari:

We can meet…

In the Space Between

Iris and Akari embraced, letting a few tears roll down from their eyes. But it wasn't sadness that filled their hearts. Only love.

Gallant smiled and shed a tear. Despite their situation, it was nice to know that their Friendship still lived on. It was enough to bring him a glimmer of hope.

Suddenly, his ears perked upwards at the sound of something behind him. Before he had time to react, something grabbed him, covering his mouth. The sound of struggle was enough to alarm the princesses, who gasped upon seeing one of the Storm Creatures with Gallant as his prisoner. His cries were muffled against the brute's massive arm.

Akari and Iris quickly took on their stances, ready to fight. They both unleashed a simultaneous magical blast, but their attacks were deflected by the solid surface of the dark crystalized stone material of the cage that had just incarcerated the two. Their magic came out in electrical currents which were absorbed into the cage's material.

The cage was being lifted up from the ground, with the two princesses inside. Gallant Steed managed to break free of the creature's hold by blasting at his arm, but his magic had no effect on the cage. The Storm creature left Gallant Steed, not seeing the young unicorn as much of a threat and left to get back onto the massive airship that was pulling the caged princess inside.

It was Tempest's ship.

Akari looked down, crying out her boyfriend's name. "Gallant!"

"Akari! Iris!"

But it was too late. The Princesses were now at the mercy of Tempest Shadow.

(~)

Open up your eyes

Open Up Your Eyes

Despite being trapped inside a cage, Iris and Akari refused to give up without a fight, but when their magic proved useless they resulted to physical strength. They should have expected it, since Chrysalis did say these cages absorbed magic much like her old throne did. They were just hoping they would get lucky somehow. Akari kicked the bars with her front and back legs, while Iris continued kicking and trying to chip the bars with her bare hands. The material was far too thick for them to break on their own.

Despite their best efforts, no amount of magic or physical strength could break the cage. All Akari managed to do was chip one small pebble shaped piece, but that was it. It would take them hours just to break it all apart, and they didn't have that kind of time.

From a row of stairs inside the airship's dungeon, Tempest Shadow approached them. There was a light spring in her step as she walked around their cage, smiling in satisfaction at their helplessness.

"Aww, the "Princesses of Friendship". With no friends!" The broken horned unicorn chuckled, "And no way out."

Akari refused to bend to this unicorn's taunts. Both she and Iris kept their brave faces on throughout, but Tempest only found their naive attempts at seeming brave adorably useless.

Tempest stopped for a moment, her smile morphing into a sinister frown. "Finally, you'll get to feel the same helplessness your parents inflicted on me all those years ago."

"What are you talking about?" Akari asked, "What do you have against our parents?"

"Everything!" Tempest lunged towards the girls. The princesses backed away, yelping in fear when Tempest slammed her front hooves against the cage bars. Her horn sparking with magic that became caught on the sides of the cage. The magic clung on like metal to a magnet.

"You and your mother are the reason why I'm like this!"

"What?" Akari asked, visibly confused. What did Tempest mean by her and her mother being the reason for her deformity?

"We barely even know you!" Iris snapped "You can't blame Akari for something she didn't do. She didn't break your horn."

"My horn…" Tempest sneered. "Is nothing compared to what your parents did!" Tempest snapped, glaring at Iris.

This winged human girl resembled Korra so strikingly except for her eye color, and she caught catch subtle traces of Mako, especially in the shape of her nose and the way her eyes narrowed in a firm yet compassionate expression which somehow only the firebending chief of police king was capable of accomplishing.

"You don't know our parents!" Akari exclaimed.

"Or maybe you don't know them as well as you thought." Tempest said as she continued walking around their cage. "Everyone sees them as these picture perfect saviors who can do no wrong. But I know better. I've seen them for what they really are. A bunch of manipulative hypocrites! Your family has taken everything from me! Everything I ever cared about!" Tempest's voice trembled, as if she were about to cry. "Leaving me to rot like the worthless, powerless pony they turned me into!"

"That can't be true." Iris said knowingly. Tempest should have expected this kind of foolishness from a child. Well, if she wanted to know the truth so badly… so be it.

Tempest:

It's time you learned a lesson

It's time that you understand

Don't ever count on anybody else

In this or any other land

Tempest turned away from the girls, not wanting them to see the hurt in her eyes. She wanted these princesses to fear her. To cower in her presence. She wanted them to feel as helpless, alone and broken as she once did.

I once believed in friendship

Trusted someone with my heart

He left me for something 'better'

And tore our bond apart

Steam rose from beneath as Tempest turned around to the girls, her eyes cold and distant as she spun their cage just to frightened them, but the girls didn't flinch at all.

Open up your eyes

See the world from where I stand

Me, among the mighty

You, caged at my command

Tempest lifted Akari's chin up with her hoof, but the princess pulled away in anger. Tempest only smirked. These girls were still so confident their mothers and fathers were innocent. Well, they were in for a very rude awakening.

Open up your eyes

Give up your sweet fantasy land

It's time to grow up and get wise

Come now, little ones

Open up your eyes

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

We all start out the same

Wishing to find our place

But there is a harsh truth

That at some point we must face

A young Tempest, a few years or more younger than Iris and Akari, wandered the towns of Canterlot, kicked out of Celestia's school for gifted unicorns for her explosive potions which caused the lab to explode and would go into heavy reconstruction.

Tempest was a fearless magic user, anyone who met her knew that much. She was a gifted alchemist, but she was a wild card. Tempest loved experimenting, but her skills frightened many ponies who believed the young unicorn's ambitious projects would eventually lead her down a dark path.

But Tempest loved going by the beat of her own drum. She didn't think anyone would understand. She didn't care about fame, or money or even becoming a famous unicorn like StarSwirl the Bearded or even Twilight Sparkle. She just wanted to use her magic the way she wanted to. But no one else understood her, and she was foolish to believe anypony would.

When others don't understand you

They all think you don't belong

But it's that very power

That's made me this strong

Leaving Canterlot, she explored Harmony City, then called Republic City, and encountered a group of men who sought to steal from her. Tempest impressed them with her magic, and even managed to get herself and them to escape the police, leaving no trace of their presence in the street corner.

One young man, Tadashi, a handsome human male, a few years older, coaxed the men, who were Triads to let Tempest join them. Tempest impressed them more with her skills, and together they organized heist after heist without getting caught.

The thrill of it all was unlike anything Tempest had ever felt. For the first time in her life, she was free. She found a place where her magical talents were appreciated. Treasured, even. But best of all, she found something else. Something she didn't even realize she had been searching for.

She found a friend in Tadashi.

While Tempest was on very good terms with the rest of her fellow Triad members, Tadashi was the closest thing she had to a brother. They shared secrets, childhood memories. They were inseparable for the longest time, and were an unstoppable team. Tempest loved Tadashi, to her he was her family. Even if other Triad members of their left to join other gangs, Tadashi never left her and she never left him. She thought they would always be together.

I was the one who had it all

I was the master of my fate

I let him inside my melancholy heart

I learned the truth too late

That night when Tempest was ravishing in her triad members chanting her name, Tadashi walked in and left without saying much. He had been acting strange over the last few months. In fact, this transition began at least a couple years back, but the changes were so subtle she had missed them almost entirely. But the more she thought about them, they became more evident.

Tadashi wasn't as interested in their heists anymore, which troubled her. They were still fun and wild like she always liked them, but without Tadashi it felt… empty.

Until that one day, where her entire world came crumbling down.

He swore he'd never leave me

But as the days turned to night

He kept on coming, going, fading

Further from my sight

That was the moment

That simple truth I had to face

If you depend on others

You'll never find your place

Tempest walked down town, using her potions to disguise her coat and mane colors, looking for anything pretty to take for herself. She walked by the corner of a small cafe, a sickeningly sweet one which sold all sorts of candy drinks and food. Just looking at it gave Tempest a cavity.

Her heart tor in two when she saw someone inside the cafe, sitting opposite an attractive looking couple. The man was tall, muscular looking wearing a clean police uniform with a royal aesthetic, and the woman beside him was equally muscular, yet her feminine features were heightened by her supernatural beauty… as well as the wings on her back.

King Mako and Queen Korra were having a seemingly lovely conversation (judging by the happy smiles on their faces), with a man who was smiling as well….

It was Tadashi!

Tadashi was having lunch with the two people Tempest deprecated the most in this world. Little Miss and Mister perfect royal goody-goodies with their fancy cloths, and perfect hair and teeth and healthy-looking bodies that made people either envy or love them.

They were constantly everywhere, on newspapers, posters, the radio, and everyone practically worshiped the ground Avatar Korra walked on. Her and the rest of her pretty pony friends. Ever since the worlds united, they acted like they were the ones who practically owned the rules of Friendship.

They told people what was the "best way" to live, or how people can change for the better, even this insanity that one would need to give up certain parts of their pasts or even what they valued in order to have a "better life", as said so many of the reformed villains.

Give up what Tempest loved most? What kind of hypocrisy were these people talking about? They preached uniqueness and special talents, yet when it didn't fit to their ideals of how they viewed friendship then it was a problem?

No. Tempest refused to ever be a part of that. Why would Tadashi be speaking with them?

That night, Tempest bursted into Tadashi's room within their hideout, where she angrily punched the side of his door.

"Is this what you've been doing all this time?!" Tempest demanded to know. "Having lunch with those spoiled brats?!"

"Tempest, let me explain!"

"Explain what!? You betrayed me! You betrayed the Shadow Triad! Are we not good enough for you, anymore?! Am I not good enough for you?"

"No, no! Tempest that's not it! I'm just…" Tadashi gripped his hair and grunted in frustration. "I'm just sick of all of this! I'm tired of constantly hiding and doing the same thing over and over again! And you!" Tadashi dared to take a single step forward. "I know you can be so much more than this, Sis. You're incredibly gifted, I know that better than anyone. You can use your magic for so much more than just petty crimes. Don't you want that? To use your magic to the fullest instead of wasting it?"

Wasting it? Did he really believe she was wasting her magic on all of this? The Shadow Triad was her greatest accomplishment in life, in a world where nobody but them appreciated her gifts, and now Tadashi was actually asking her to change just so she could be like everyone else?

No. No, she refused to roll over and succumb to such nonsense.

"Get out."

"Tempest--"

"Get. Out!"

Tempest's horn sparkled with magic in a way Tadashi had never seen before. It was so powerful it nearly knocked down his night lamp. Knowing there was nothing more he could say that would get Tempest to understand, he left. The unicorn broke into tears that night.

But, she refused to let Tadashi's betrayal keep her down for long. A few weeks later, Tempest and her gang readied for yet another heist. This time, they would strike something even more than just a few stores. They were going to steal a truck in which would arrive to Harmony City with a collection of priceless Water Tribe jewelry in which they were made of incredibly rare underwater gemstones known as Water Diamonds.

If they could get their hands and hooves on them, they could sell them in the black market and make a bundle. So far, everything was going according to plan. They managed to knock out the driver and Tempest used her magic to open the back of the truck and take the items they desired.

But when they opened it, all that was inside the trunk were five female ponies, all in their anthro form, looking disapprovingly at Tempest and her Triad members.

"Looking for something?" The rainbow-haired pegasus said.

The driver who was supposedly knocked out, sprung back out of the driver's seat, removing his hat and revealing to have been Flash Sentry using a human-shaped mask which doubled as one that blocked the knock out gas's effects.

Before long, Tempest and her gang were surround by Team Avatar Harmony, with Mako ridding on Naga, and Korra flying downwards from the starry night sky alongside Twilight Sparkle and more of the police force arrived to apprehend the triads. Metalbenders wrapped their cords around the triad's wrists, dragging them forward and placing metal plates on the unicorn's horns to prevent them from using their magic. It didn't take away their magic, but the thickness of the metal was enough to keep it contained.

"But--How?!" Tempest asked, baffled and horrified at how they knew of their plans. Then, it all became clear when she saw someone step forward. Someone who had been riding alongside Mako and stared at Tempest with eyes of regret, but also hope.

"Tadashi?! How did you know about this? I never--"

"I knew once word got out of the Water Diamonds you wouldn't be able to resist." Tadashi said, but rather than sounding angry he sounded calm, as if this were a normal conversation. "I know you're mad, but--"

"Mad? Mad!? You ratted me out!" Tempest's voice was loud and cracked every two words as stinging tears ran down her eyes. "You want me to rot in prison!"

"No, I don't!"

"You!" Tempest pointed an accusing finger at Mako, "You did this to him!" she spatted, her eyes wide in malicious vengeance. "You filled his head with your twisted ideas!"

"Tempest, try to understand." Mako said, trying to reason with her. When one of the officers came to apprehend her, Mako rose his hand, telling him to stop. "We're not here to arrest you."

"We're here to help you." Korra said, speaking in the same compassionate tone as her husband. Only rather than ease Tempest's rage, it only served to fuel it.

"Tadashi has told us so many great things about you. We only want to offer you a chance."

"Tempest…" Tadashi spoke, getting her attention. "It's my fault, I'm the one who dragged you into this life in the first place. But I don't want you to keep making the same mistakes I made. I want to start my life over, and I want to give you the life you deserve."

He reached out his hand for hers.

"Please, little sis… come with me. We can start over, together. You and me until the end. Like I promised."

Tempest stared at his hand, eyes wide and hands trembling. Her fingers curled and uncurled in an uncertain manner. His hand remained outstretched, his eyes staring directly into hers, begging her to take it. If she took it, she would be spared a life in jail, but if she didn't, then she'd be giving up her entire life. A life she treasured alongside Tadashi.

But it was clear he didn't want this life anymore. The Tadashi she had known and loved had been soiled by the mindsets of these people who dominated everything else in the world except for Tempest's own life. She refused to let them get away with any of this.

Her horn sparked with magic and rather than aim her ball of magical energy at Tadashi, she spun around and aimed it at Korra.

The Avatar shielded herself, but her magic never activated on account of Twilight, who jumped in to block Tempest's blast. Both anthro ponies pushed harder on their respected attacks, trying to overpower the other. For a moment, it looked at if Tempest would win, until something peculiar started happening to Twilight. Her magic began to change from it's typical magenta color, to a shimmering cyan blue, converging with that of her beam.

The intensity became too much and it knocked Tempest so high into the air she landed ten feet away from the others. Her magic was weak, and her horn kept on unleashing sparks of magic against her will. Twilight Sparkle sunk to her knees, the blue fires diminishing and she felt like her life force had been drained. Korra and the others rallied around her.

Terrified, and unwilling to look back at her former best friend, Tempest ran off into the night, ignoring the cries of Tadashi that echoed on in her ears even long after he disappeared from view.

The rain poured down hard that night, soaking Tempest to the bone. She ran as fast as her legs could carry her. Her horn was still sparking uncontrollably so she couldn't teleport herself away. Finally, she could go on no further. She had a good enough distance between herself and Team Avatar Harmony.

Tempest leaned her back against the wall of a building in a darkened alley, hearing the sound of squeaking rats scurry across the floor, splashing into the small rain puddles that had formed. Tempest tried levitating a simple squashed soda can from the floor, but to no avail. Her horn refused to obey her orders.

Her heart raced when she heard the sound of a small crack. Followed by another, and another until finally… her horn snapped right off, rolling onto the wet ground. The sparks of magic ceased and all that remained on Tempest as a lagged lump where her majestic horn once stood.

Her breath became haggard, tears merging with the raindrops as her fingers traced over the sharp edges, poking at her skin but she hardly felt the pain. The only pain she did feel was the one in her chest. Her own heart breaking just like her horn.

The unicorn let out an agonizing wail that resembled that of a weeping wolf or a woman giving birth. She sunk down to the ground, hugging her legs and burying her face into her knees, sobbing loudly and without control. Her nose became so stuffed she had to breath through her mouth, which was difficult with all the sobbing.

Her sobs morphed into angry snarls, clenching her teeth tightly as the heartbreak fueled her unquenched anger. This was all THEIR fault! They took Tadashi from her, and now they had taken away her magic! Tempest Shadow had become a broken unicorn…

In more ways than one.

(~)

The next morning, Tempest returned to her hideout, hoping her other friends would still accept her despite her new deformity. After informing them what had happened, they asked if she could still do magic. Tempest tried levitating a single cup of water. She did exactly as she always did when using levitation, but rather than lift up the cup all that came from her horn was a lethal spark of electricity that bounced off the walls of the hideout, frightening everyone.

Rather than feel sympathy for her, they grabbed Tempest by the arms and threw her out. She grunted once her body collided with the coldness of the underground floor.

"What are you doing?!"

"Sorry, Tempest. But, we can't have a unicorn with crazy magic like yours around here."

"Yeah. You're a walking fireworks display. You'd just get us all caught like Tadashi did."

Tempest's anger flared. "I am not like Tadashi!" she yelled, and her magic reacted to her mood. More sparks of energy same shooting out, breaking the underground lights above. The triads closed the door and locked it. Tempest ran up and started banging on the door.

"Let me in! You guys can't kick me out! I created this Triad! You need me!"

"Not anymore, ya freak!"

Tempest kicked the door once more before changing into her pony self and galloped out of the tunnel. She had lost her best friend, her horn, and now her entire Triad. She had gone from being at the top of the criminal underground social ladder, to the bottom of the barrel in the span of one night.

Alone, powerless and defeated, Tempest wandered the streets, her face covered in a hat and trench coat until she stopped at a newspaper stand. It had only been a day, and already the city was abuzz about the news.

Twilight Sparkle was pregnant!

Tempest crumpled the piece of paper and threw it angrily into a nearby trash can. So, that's how she was able to break her horn like that. Unicorn horns are nearly impossible to break, it would take a great amount of magic, at times unstable magic, in order to do so.

If Twilight Sparkle was with child and only found out today, then that could only mean that that magical blast was not only infused with her own magic, but the magic of her the already growing child within. Nothing was more dangerous than unkept alicorn magic, and an infant alicorn's magic was known for being both the most powerful and most dangerous of all.

They were not going to get away with this. Tempest swore, one way or another, somehow, someway, someday, she was going to make them pay. But first, she needed to get out of the city. Without her magic, she was powerless against them, and no doubt the cops would be out looking for her thanks to Tadashi.

She was an outcast in Equestria, and now she had become a fugitive in Harmony City. The pony who had everything she had ever wanted, was now left with nothing but a growing seed of vengeance that remained within her until she sought up the opportunity to strike them again.

Only this time, she would do so without trusting anyone to be by her side like she did with Tadashi.

And as you take that first step

Upon a path that's all your own

You see it all so clearly

The best way to survive is all alone

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Akari and Iris's original feelings of anger and resentment towards the one horned unicorn melted away. After hearing her entire life story, it all became clear to them. Tempest blamed her parents for having taken everything she held dear, even if they knew her desires and ambitions weren't morally sound, Tempest didn't care. She merely wanted freedom, and believed she had friendship, but when someone who actually cared about her tried to lead her down a better path, she turned away from him, and in her anger, she provoked Twilight, and she had unintentionally broken her horn.

Akari knew her mother would have never done anything like this on purpose. It was merely an accident, and if she had known, no doubt Twilight would have done everything in her power to make it right. But Tempest was gone before Twilight could do anything to help.

Tempest was no longer a mad, evil, wicked unicorn in the princess's eyes anymore. She was a broken, angry and even envious pony with a twisted view on how things went down and how her life should have been. Korra's attempt at reasoning with Tempest when she first arrived now made more sense.

But Tempest didn't see what the princess's saw. She still believed she had been wronged, and Team Avatar deserved to pay for everything.

Open up your eyes

See the world from where I stand

Me, among the mighty

You, caged at my command

Tempest pulled on a lever and the cage carrying the princesses rose upwards, where Tempest grabbed it by the bars and laughed at the girls's faces. Now they knew the truth, and seeing the distraught look in their eyes made Tempest's day.

Open up your eyes

And behold the faded light

It's time to grow up and get wise

Come now, little ones

Open up your eyes

Open up your eyes!

The doors above opened, letting in the sunlight, which temporarily blinded the girl's vision. Once they adjusted, they saw that the airship was heading back to Equestria, which was still rather far, but they could already see the thick cloud looming overhead. A cloud that no doubt spread far and wide from Ponyville to the Crystal Empire. The Storm King may not have invaded those lands as of yet, but no doubt it wouldn't be long now.

Tempest walked out, overlooking the view, her expression stoic. "I'm so sorry you felt so alone." Iris said sympathetically.

"I saw the truth. My "friend" abandoned me when I needed him most."

"No, Tempest." Akari voiced out, getting the older unicorn's attention. "Tadashi never abandoned you. He knew you were capable of so much more! He wanted to save you from a life of crime. He gave you a choice, but rather than stay with him you choose to turn away!"

"Don't act like you know me!" Tempest snapped, but Akari didn't flinch. "Your so called "Queens of Friendship" don't really care about any of the things they preach. They didn't care about how I felt. What I wanted. What made me happy! They only care about keeping their perfect little world as it is, and anyone who isn't like them is cast out. Looks like I'm not the only one who found out the hard way."

Iris and Akari shared the same distraught look and both sat dejectedly inside the cage. Tempest gave them a ghost of a smile. A smile of satisfaction.

"Face it, Princesses. Friendship has failed you, too."

"Friendship never failed you, Tempest." Akari said, "You failed friendship… just like I did."

The alicorn princess hung her head in shame and Iris wrapped her arms around her. Akari still felt the heavy weight of her mistake back at Queen Novo's palace, and with Hozu. Iris's warm embrace was the only thing that could ease her worry, even if at this point it couldn't do much else.

They didn't have their friends, their magic was useless now, and now they had no way of stoping the Storm King. Even if Iris had forgiven her, Akari knew this was all her doing. Like Tempest, she acted selfishly and it cost her everything.

As the princesses held one another, an ache in Tempest's heart started to form. She turned her eyes away, trying to push away the once heartfelt memories of her old best friend.

*(~)*

2 Peter 3:9 ~

The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.

*(~)*

The Storm King's reign

The Storm King's reign

"The City of Canterlot has descended into disarray! On the day of the Guardians of Harmony's first ever Friendship Festival, the wicked Tempest Shadow has invaded the land and taken over! Following the orders of the dreaded Storm King!"

"The Guardians have escaped, but now are missing, and the storm creatures have captured everyone with magic absorbing weapons, rendering them powerless! The Queen Avatar and the rest of the alicorns have been turned to stone, and now we are all at the mercy of the Storm King's army awaiting his inevitable arrival!"

"And while there is really no point in me even narrating any of this, it's mostly to keep me distracted from the excruciating pain in my spine, on account of one of the storm creatures is currently using me as a footrest!"

Shiro Shinobi's hands wobbled at supporting the heavy weight of the storm creature's large hairy, and smelly, paw-like feet. All the while the spa ponies were forced to give him a massage. Shiro's wrists were cuffed, and around his neck was a chained collar that connected to the bindings of a poor saddened pony with a muzzle. After hours of being forced in this position, Shiro Shinobi finally lost the feeling in his limbs and collapsed.

"Excuse me, storm creature, would you consider calling my chiropractor?" Shiro asked, raising only one finger. The creature growled in reply. "Yeah, didn't think so." Shiro let his hand drop limply on the floor in front of him, groaning in pain.

While awaiting for their boss to arrive, the storm creatures got to work at making their captives miserable. Ponies and humans were forced to wear chained collars in a straight line like a bunch of animals. Tenzin and his family sat dejectedly in their cage, while Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were forced to watch the rest of their old classmates march along, pushing and pulling large carts in preparation for the Storm King's arrival.

Ali, Mika and San hissed at any creature that came their way, while Spike tried to blast them out with his fire, but the flames were absorbed into the cage's surface, much like what happened to Iris and Akari's blasts.

Ember tried to bite onto the cage to break it with her sharp teeth, but an electrical current forced her to stop. She tried to push back the pain as dragons always did, but this particular pain left her feeling week that even when she tried to bite again her jaw felt like it was biting on knives. Besides, the most she could do was a small chip on the cage, even after hours of constantly bitting. Her own fire breath proved useless as well.

For three days already, everyone kept on fighting against the cages either by force of in coming up with ways to escape. Sadly, their cages had no locks and none of the creatures carried keys on them, so nobody could plan out a way to grab them and escape like the airbenders did when the Red Lotus captured them so many years ago.

Benders who weren't in cages were forced to wear the same metal material over their mouths and cuffs that covered their hands entirely. Any attempt at bending would immediately disappear on the spot if they tried.

Inside her cage, Songbird Serenade sang a soft ballad to try and lift everyone's spirits. Rara sat beside her, feeling a bit more at ease as she listened to her student's singing.

I am here and I see your pain

Through the storms, through the clouds, the rain

I'm telling you you can not escape

Both Songbird and Rara gasped when their shared cage shook roughly. One of the storm creatures banged on the side, growling in anger. The ponies didn't need an interpreter to know what he was saying. With a heavy heart, Songbird stopped her singing. Rara wrapped a comforting hoof around her.

Zaheer and P'Li marched along, both wearing the same hand covering cuffs and shackles around their ankles and necks, connecting them to Starlight Glimmer and Sunburst, both of which wore muzzles and cuffs on both their horns and hooves.

There was no possible way these creatures were smart enough to come up with all of these strategic ways to preventing anyone from escaping, but Zaheer had heard stories about this Tempest Shadow. If he were still that ruthless Red Lotus member from years back, he would have been impressed by her cleverness. But now, he just felt sickened.

As he walked pass Tenzin and his family, the former criminal gave him an apologetic look. Even though it had been years and they had long since forgiven him, seeing the airbenders and everyone captive like this brought back painful memories of when he had done the same thing. Of course, Tempest took it to a whole new level than Zaheer had done, but still.

Sunset Shimmer watched helplessly as her friends were forced to march on like slaves, and chained like animals. She sat in a cage alongside Nova and Eclipse, who hugged his mother tightly. "It's okay, sweetie." Sunset said to her son, whispering as low as she could so the creatures wouldn't hear. "Iris and the others are still out there."

"They'll get us out of this." Nova said, ruffling his son's hair.

The sound of wheels clanking was heard all across Canterlot. The city had become so silent that only the dangling of chains and metallic hooves clopping the cobblestone grounds were heard from miles around.

The cages that contained Nori's father, Kombu, Double Diamond with Sweet Gala and Half Pipe, Soarin, Fire Fly, Thorax, Ivy, Leo, River, Cheese Sandwich and Cookie Cream, all aligned in a single row. Each prisoner looked up, their ears dropping and eyes widening in horror at the sight.

Starlight, Sunburst, Zaheer and P'Li gasped underneath their metal mouth covers at seeing Big Mac and his wife, Sugar Belle being forced to pull a wagon carrying Iris and Akari, sitting inside a cage of their own.

The adults wanted to ask the princesses where the others were, but when Starlight dared to walk up and ask, the storm creature snarled and aggressively knocked her down. Akari and Iris gasped, their eyes begging Starlight not to make another move or she would receive a far worse punishment. P'Li and Zaheer helped her back up, watching helplessly as the wagon rolled away with the princesses inside.

Iris and Akari felt like crying, but their bodies were paralyzed with desolation. Their sadness blocked by a lump of anger while at the same time converging in a way that they felt the need to invent a new word to describe this flawless combination of sadness, anger, grief, horrified and powerlessness.

The beautiful City of Canterlot was once a shimmering rainbow of happiness, but now buildings had been knocked down, homes were cracked and everywhere they turned they saw the broken spirits of those they loved being forced to either remain encaged or work as slaves.

The urge to free them all in one swing overwhelmed the two princesses, but their anger within flared at the realization that there was nothing they could do, which made them feel just as broken-hearted as everyone else did.

With Tempest Shadow marching ahead, Iris and Akari caught glimpses of the Mane Six's families. Chi would have been literally broken to pieces upon seeing little Eclipse look so distraught, crying his little eyes out.

Nori's heart would sink like a stone upon seeing her father encaged like this, and Hiro and Mai would have simultaneous heart attacks and go on a savage rampage if they saw Sweet Gala, Half Pipe and Cookie Cream being frightened by the storm creatures that snarled and growled at them whenever they tried to talk to one another.

Thorax held his triplets close, while his older brother Pharynx sat crestfallen in his separate cage. The fearless, and at times ruthless, changeling general looking so defeated was never a good sign. If someone like Pharynx had given up, Iris and Akari didn't even want to imagine what the future would hold for everyone else.

Iris and Akari wanted to speak, to send them words of encouragement, but the cage wheeled past them before they could get a word out. Even when they tried to speak up, Tempest's horn would flare and she would aim the sparks of magic towards one of their family members. A warning to keep their mouths shut.

All the girls could do was give them all apologetic looks and mouth with their lips, "It'll be okay." It wasn't much, but it was something. Things only got worse when they were wheeled by the cage that held Songbird Serenade and Rara. Even behind her bangs, the girls could feel the pop singer's own grief penetrate through the cold stone surface of their cage. But it was the cage not too far away from them that made the girls really get a lump in their throats.

Bolin and Asami sat on the cage, their heads hung low, looking exhausted and paler than normal. Iris could hardly recognize her aunt and uncle. Both were always so full of joy and bubbly energy, especially Bolin, but just like with Cheese and Cookie, their spirits were slowly wavering.

Dark bangs hung under their eyes, indicating they hadn't slept at all. When they looked up, their eyes widened and Iris could literally see their hearts breaking in two. Both husband and wife gained the strength to stand up to see the two, but just like the others, they wondered where the other children were.

When the cages were close enough, Iris outstretched her hand and Bolin did the same. Her fingers brushed against Bolin's for a moment before Iris was wheeled away.

"They're okay." Iris mouthed, and she felt some sense of relief when she saw both Bolin and Asami form small smiles. They knew what she meant. As happy as they were that Hiro and Mai were still alive, they were still crushed upon seeing their niece become a prisoner just like the rest of them.

Iris saw her adopted siblings, Ali, Mika and San and like with her uncle, she reached out for them. Their cage was a lot farther, so all Iris could so was tap the top of San's extended claw. Akari reached out her hoof for her uncle Spike, who reached out as well.

He saw so much of Twilight in her. That same spark and intelligence and bravery. Spike swallowed a lump in his throat as he watched the two wheel away.

The scenery didn't improve, for the closer they got to the castle, Iris and Akari saw Tenzin and his family, Lin and Suyin and their family, Kuvira and the sirens to the griffins, Iroh and Lu Ten, Tahno and his nephew Pao, Varrick and his family, even Wan Shi Tong and Goldie. Their feathers were a ruffled mess and the winged spirits looked as exhausted as everyone else. No doubt they had put up a good fight, even while encaged, but after days of restless rebellion, they were slowly succumbing to their imprisonment. The cages and cuffs weren't just keeping them from using their magic, it was making them weaker, as if draining their very life force.

It was no wonder Queen Novo didn't want to face the Storm King again. No wonder Captain Celaeno were so terrified of his wrath. The Storm King was truly a monster in every sense of the word.

(~)

The storm creatures opened the doors that led into the throne room. The stoned alicorns were just as Tempest had left them. Akari's heart sank even further upon seeing her aunt, cousin and mother still frozen in their horrified state. Her nightmare was slowly turning into a tragic reality.

Iris let out a pain stricken gasp when she saw her mother alongside Twilight, as well as Leilani, Celestia and Luna. As if things were't bad enough, Tempest had the audacity to have even their fathers and the Elements of Harmony predecessors placed in the same room like decorative lawn ornaments, all facing the alicorns as Tempest's twisted way form of amusement.

The storm creatures lifted the cage and placed it opposite to where Korra and Twilight were. The princesses took one last look at Big Mac and Sugar Belle, who turned their heads back at the princesses, silently saying how sorry they were. Grubber closed the door, laughing in amusement. Iris and Akari ignored him, their eyes landing again on their mothers. They knew they were still alive, but knowing Tempest, they were horrified to even think about what she would do once this was all over.

"It's a good thing they're stone, isn't it?" Tempest said, approaching the two. "That way you can't see their disappointment."

"Tempest, don't do this." Akari pleaded, "Don't give the Storm King—"

"Your magic? Did you think you'd keep it all to yourself? Time to share." The unicorn smiled as she looked back at the doors.

Before long, she would walk out of here with her horn restored, and then her dreams of revenge will be realized. Her power will return and she can go back to the way she used to be. Whole, powerful and free, and this time she wouldn't let any 'friends' get in her way anymore.

"I'd love for everybody out there to know what I can really do."

"Ooh, fascinating! What can you really do?"

For the first time, the princesses saw traces of genuine fear in Tempest's eyes. A tall figure entered the throne room, blocking the rays of sunlight from behind the door. The Storm King wasn't as large as Wan Shi Tong, but taller than Discord by at least five heads or so. Never the less, even if his height wasn't as impressive as anything else the girls have seen, he still carried himself every bit of the king he prided himself to be. A truly wicked king.

His body was primarily covered in snowy white and gray colored fur, resembling a snow baboon, with a long bushy tail and cloven hooves, resembling a goat's. He had only three fingers in both hands, and wore black armor that covered his large chest and broad shoulders with a collar wrapped around his thick neck. On his head he wore a horned crown and in his hand was the Staff of Sacanas.

"Your bidding, of course, Your Mighty One." Grubber said, saving Tempest from her slip up.

The last thing she needed was for the Storm King to realize she had defied his rules in order to go on a quest to capture Iris and Akari if anything to get her revenge on their parents. Like Grubber said, Tempest could have made due with the alicorns she already had, but she had come too far to get back at them, and she wasn't going to risk anything by letting those two princesses out there with the chance to fight back.

Grubber bowed down before the Storm King, while Tempest stood still like an obedient soldier. When nothing else happened, Grubber quickly ran out the room, closing the door behind him. Tempest rolled her eyes at his cowardliness.

"Bidding's good. I like bidding!" The Storm King said, his tone taking on a slightly more upbeat one, completely contrasting with the ominous one he had a few moments ago. He smiled, baring his sharp teeth, only to look at the princesses, completely unimpressed.

"Um, what are you two supposed to be?"

After witnessing so much misery outside, Iris and Akari no longer wished to allow this monster's reign destroy their spirits as it did the Hippogriffs or Celaeno's crew. This wasn't over, not so long as they had anything to say about it.

Iris and Akari stood tall, even within their cage, facing the Storm King with narrowed eyes accompanied by regal and stone solid stances.

"We are Avatar Iris and Akari." Iris said powerfully.

"We are the Princesses of Friendship!" Akari finished, taking a single hoof-step forward and daring to spread her wings a bit to showcase her bravery.

The Storm King only laughed at their adorable attempt at being all tough and brave, but the girls didn't flinch. This type of reaction from someone who clearly didn't understand friendship was nothing new to them, or anyone else for that matter.

"Ha, ha, ha! Oh. That's nice." The Storm King wiped away a single tear that escaped his left eye. His smile morphed into an angry snarl when he turned towards Tempest, dawning his ominous tone once more.

"Why are these two still moving?"

"They and their friends put up a bit of a fight, but it's just them now." Tempest smirked at the princesses, feeling a warm satisfaction within her chest. "They won't be a problem."

"Yeah. So, speaking of problems…" The Storm King lumbered across the room, petting Tempest's head as if she were his fateful lapdog.

Normally, when ponies got pet in the head it was a sign of affection from their human friends, but when the Storm King did it, it made Tempest shudder in disgust. She bit her tongue, resisting the urge to bite his hand. She may be his Commander, but she was not his pet.

"This place, it seems a little too, oh, I don't know—CUTE!!!"

Iris and Akari flinched, their ears ringing at the Storm King's booming outburst. Tempest didn't seem phased at all. Just another one of the Storm King's childish complaints.

"I don't like cute! I never did like cute! Doesn't really go with my whole "big bad powerful magic guy" thing, does it?! Deliver the punchline, Tempest, because this has gotta be a joke!"

The Storm King lifted his staff over his head and slammed its end into the floor. Incidentally, he had slipped it right into a small oval shaped hole, which connected to the symbol of the four petaled flower in the center of the room, where the alicorns were placed.

The Storm King, Iris and Akari stared in alarm, but only the Storm King looked excited when his staff started to glow. Now this was more like it. Something cool and magical happening.

The room filled with a familiar source of power, one the princesses recognized all too well. The same energy began to radiate from the stoned alicorns. Strings of light began to grow from Leilani, Celestia and Luna's hooves, expanding and reaching upwards like luminescent veins until it reached their horns, which glowed with their respected magical colors, along with their eyes.

The same process happened to Cadance and Flurry Heart, followed by Korra and Twilight Sparkle. The star on Korra's forehead and her eyes glowed alongside Twilight's eyes and horn. The outlines of the floor's flower petals glowed with alicorn magic, and that very same glow began to radiate underneath Akari and Iris's cage.

The princesses tried to move their feet and hooves, but the force of the ritual kept them solidified on the ground against their will. The same illuminating vein-like forms began to manifest on their bodies, holding them in place as they felt their magical energy being yanked right out of them. Their eyes glowed and magic came swirling out of Akari's horn and the star symbol on Iris's forehead.

"No!"

The Storm King laughed with child-like glee at the magical energy being transferred from the Alicorns into the staff. "Check out the light show!"

But the transfer wasn't limited to just the alicorns. The same magical energy and glowing veins manifest on the statues of Mako, Flash and the Mane Six. Each of their eyes glowed white and the magical energy within them was ripped out and melted into the floor beneath their feet, rapidly reaching towards the staff's jewel, which sparked with magic.

The same energy spread all across Canterlot, frightening even the storm creatures. An aura of melting color covered the land. Benders, unicorns, pegasus, spirits, dragons and changelings of all kinds felt something yank at their chests. A piece of them was being pulled out.

Bolin fell to the ground, his skin paler than before and Asami held him close. Thorax and his children screamed, hissing in rebellion at the magic being taken from them by force. The airbenders, police force, and all spirits fell to the ground, their energy and powers complexly drained once the colors disappeared from the city, reeling back towards the balcony of the palace.

Spirits like Wan Shi Tong, Goldie and Aiwei's scorpion spider companion shrunk down in size, and dragons could no longer breath fire or fly. Spike gasped when he saw Ali, Mika and San now the same size as they were when they were kids. They couldn't even speak, only adorable squeaks came out of their mouths. Their mind were still those of young adults, but their bodies had reverted back in time.

Spike held them in his claws, his ears dropping sadly as Mika pressed her now tiny forehead against his.

Even non benders and earth ponies could feel something being yanked from them, though it wasn't as strongly as it was for those with physical magical abilities. Much like earth ponies, humans had a more passive form of magic even if it wasn't manifested in a physical form as it was for other ponies or benders, but this energy wasn't looking for passive magic, but rather actual physical magic. This spell was stealing their power.

Asami and Bolin looked up to see where their energy had gone, but she also noticed something else. Their cage let out faint sparks around the corners of the bottom, as it did for the others. Asami looked at it suspiciously, her eyes following the trail that led back to the palace.

The staff sparked with intense magical energy and once the Storm King removed it, he could feel its power coursing every bone and muscle in his body.

"Wow! Wow!" He laughed victoriously. The statues stopped glowing as did Akari and Iris's eyes. Their legs were numb and they collapsed to the bottom of their cage. They wanted to believe there was still hope, but their magic was now gone and their friends didn't know where they were.

All hope trully was lost.

"Let's get this storm started! Ooh, hey, that's good. I should trademark that." The Storm King was more than excited to test out his new toy. And he knew just who to test it on.

He shot a jolt of energy at the princess's cage, using its magic to lift it up and throw it against one of the stained glass windows. The blast was strong enough to break the cage, which was now powerless against all that magic. In fact, it broke apart like it was nothing.

Iris and Akari cried out in pain as they rolled onto the balcony. Debris and shards of the window flew across the floor. Smoke from the impact clouded their vision but the Storm King's towering presence manifeste faster than the girls wished.

"Not bad. Actually, kinda first rate. What else does it do?"

Tempest followed him out onto the balcony, "Your Excellency, you promised to restore my horn and—"

"Deh-deh-deh-deh-deh, okay. Hang on." The Storm King interrupted her, shaking the staff, testing to see what other powers it possessed.

Iris took the opportunity to crawl closer to Akari, wrapping the weakened alicorn pony in her arms. The two flinched when the Storm King rose his staff, only to have a blast of fire come shooting out of it, creating fireworks in the sky.

Unlike other displays, these fireworks were red like the color of blood, and the flakes dripped in mid air, capturing the rays of the sun. The Storm King tried again, only this time a slate of rock rose from the ground beneath, where storm creatures and captives scattered in fear when it rose up.

The Storm King tried again, and city's plants rose upwards as his command. The water within them was extracted out, leaving the once lovely plants to wither and die. The waters rose up to form a floating bubble over the Storm King's head, which he then turned into pure ice and forced it to break. Shards of ice fell like sharp rain waters, causing Iris and Akari to shield themselves.

"You weren't kidding! I have control of the elements! A ha ha! Now this is what I'm talkin' about!"

Iris's body trembled. "No! That's--That's impossible!"

"Actually, it's more possible than you think." Tempest said with a smug. "You may have heard of Lord Tirek, right? All magic could do for him was regenerate the powers he already possessed. It was just a means of charging him, not granting him those powers. He tried replicating the powers of his father's staff, but failed miserably." The unicorn looked down at the princesses, taking amusement in the frightened looks on their faces.

"Scorpan put up quite the fight when I stole it from him. But, the old timer didn't know who he was messing with. There is a whole other world beyond Equestria, you know. With magic and weapons unlike anything you have ever seen. Not that you'll live long enough to see it."

The Storm King let out a very loud, forced yawn. "Yeah, yeah, history lesson over. Time to play!" He moved over the princesses, not even bothering to destroy them. In their state, they were harmless, and he now had all the power he could ever want. He could always destroy them later.

The creature waved his staff around, unleashing each of the elements in order. "Water, Fire, Earth, Air! Aqua, Fuego, Tiera, Aire! Rain, Heat, Rock slide, Windy! De de bup bup bup bah bah bah…"

The intimidating aura of the Storm King had vanished as quickly as when it had arrived when he made himself known. He didn't know the power he held, only that it was power, and here he was playing with the elements like a five-year-old boy with his new race car play set.

While Tempest was not as invested in any of this, at least the Storm King got what he wanted. Now, it was time to get what she wanted.

"I hope it's worth it." Akari said to Tempest. Her voice chilling cold. "Destroying all these lives just to get what you want."

"Save me the "holier than though" talk, sweetheart. I wouldn't expect you to understand."

"I've seen where your path leads, Tempest… but it's not too late. You can make a different choice. You can change--"

"SHUT UP!" Tempest shouted, her horn sparking, her jaw clenched. "I hate everything you stand for! I hate you, I hate your family and I hate your stupid, brain-numbing philosophy!"

Tempest panted, her anger flaring like her horn. "When I get my horn… you and your parents will be the first to feel my wrath."

(~)

Taking back Equestria

*(~)*

Romans 5:3 ~

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.

*(~)*

Taking back Equestria

Two storm creatures stood in front of Canterlot's main entrance, holding their shields and spears up in defense when they saw someone approaching.

Capper, dressed with an apron and a chef's hat, walked up towards them while holding a piece of paper in his paw. Behind him was a tall cake with blue and purple frosting, decorated with images of the Storm King and ponies with shackles.

The cake was carried on by a wagon, which was being pulled by Hiro, Mai, Hozu, Gallant Steed and Nori, all wearing shackles around their wrists, necks and hooves. They miserably dragged the cake, which also had a green flamed candle at the top.

Once Capper was close enough, the storm creature rose their spears at him. The cat greeted them casually. "Uh, yeah, I got a delivery here for a Mister "The Storm King". I was given explicit instructions to bring this here cake to this here castle's throne room." he said, consulting the paper he had.

The creatures looked at one another, then glared at the cat. They weren't told about any special delivery. They aimed their spears threateningly at Capper, but again, the cat-man remained unfazed.

"All right, then. Look here. Could one of y'all be a pal and go tell your boss he's not gettin' his "Congratulations on subduing defenseless pastel ponies, elemental humans and other magical creatures" cake? 'Cause I don't wanna be the one responsible for the big guy missin' his special dessert. You know what I'm sayin'?" Capper turned around, casually waving his paw as if it wasn't his problem whether or not these guys got fired. Or worse.

Gallant and Nori kept their ears lowered to keep up the facade, but looked up at Capper with concern. Without looking back, Capper counted the seconds with his fingers.

Three… two… one…

Without turning around, Capper pointed his thumb to behind him. Just as he predicted, the two storm creatures stepped back, giving them full access to enter the city. They may not have liked this cat's smugness, but they hatted getting fired and or obliterated even more.

Both ponies smiled inconspicuously to their friend, thanking him for getting them back into Canterlot. Capper gave them a wink. He was more than happy to help. They reminded him that there could still be good people in the world. Besides, after trying to sell them before, he owed them.

Capper tipped his chef's hat to the storm creatures as they made their way pass. "Thank you kindly, fellas. I'm a be sure and put in a good word for the both a y'all."

The three humans and two ponies put on their best sad expressions. All they had to do was think sad, depressing thoughts, which given how gloomy the sky had become wasn't too difficult.

As they walked past the storm creatures, who growled in their direction, Mai noticed Hiro's exaggerative frown. The corners of his mouth stuck out downwards and his eyes were widened in a way that resembled a sad puppy dog and his brows were furrowed to the point of trembling. He even did a whimper for effect.

"Hiro, what is with that face?" Mai said quietly. "You look constipated."

"What? I'm going for the 'broken-spirit' prisoner look." Hiro said quietly, temporarily breaking character.

Mai rolled her eyes, looking exhausted. "Oy."

"Oh, that's good! Keep that up!" Hiro proceeded to do his exaggerative sad face, while Mai only proceeded to arc an eyebrow at her older brother.

Once inside the city, Capper kept looking back towards the kids, who nodded their heads forward, indicating him to go straight. They walked through the main plaza, where the once beautiful fountain was now dried up and crumbling at the seems.

Something felt off the moment the kids enters Canterlot. The place looked even grimmer than before, and not just because of the darkened skies and the destruction of public property. There was something different in the air. The energy of the place fell dull, almost lifeless. The festival decorations were spread across the floor and all around they saw beloved friends and family forced in either cages or wear magic stealing shackles around their necks, hands, ankles, feet, hooves, muzzles and mouths.

"Do you feel that?" Gallant Steed asked quietly.

"The magic." Nori said breathlessly. "It… it feels…"

"Gone." Mai concluded, feeling a chill run up her spine. She and the others caught sight of an even larger airship positioned right near Canterlot castle. Given it's more detailed and larger in scope design, they concluded that it could not have belonged to anyone other than the Storm King himself. And, if he were here, then that could only mean one thing…

"Tempest did it."

"We have to keep moving." Hozu said determinedly. If the Storm King now had the magic of the city, and no doubt the alicorns, then they didn't have much time left.

As they went on, Grubber was once again pigging it out on sweets. Several pies that remained from the festival were still laying around. Just as he was about to take a massive bite out of two at a time, he spotted the large pastry rolling by.

"Oh, hello, cake!" Grubber said, wiggling his brows as if he were flirting with some girl. He jumped onto the wagon and licked his lips. "Ooh! Don't mind if I do!"

Just as he was about to dip his dirty little fingers into the frosting, the side of the cake knocked him down. Grubber rolled onto the floor, the dust rising up and he coughed once he sat upright.

"Huh? Cake packs a punch." He said. Only to realize a few seconds later that cakes don't punch. He looked at the cake's wagon and noticed a small peep hole, where he spotted an eyeball blinking.

The hedgehog gasped and cried out, "Guards!"

At the sound of his cry, the storm creatures nearby all turned their heads around and surrounded Capper and the others. "Uh-oh. Plan B?"

The top layer of the cake, the one with the green and yellow candle, glowed a familiar green, revealing to have been Chrysalis the entire time.

"The jig is up!" Chrysalid cried out. The lower half of the cake glowed blue, revealing to have been Chi and she kicked the top of the wooden wagon, which then bursted. Planks of wood went flying all around, some even landing in the storm creature's faces. Captain Celaeno and her crew, along with Princess Sky Star came bursting out.

"Come on!" Celaeno and her pirate crew jumped into action! Celaeno blocked one of the guard's incoming blow with her sword, while Buckle managed to swipe three of the guard's spears and tossed them into the air.

Sky Star dodged the spears and grabbed one of the creatures with her front claws, tossing him towards his other fellow creatures, knocking them all down like bowling pins. Squabble used his life preserver he always wore around his neck to capture one of the storm creatures while Lix Spittle used her fork tail to stab one of them in his rear. She laughed as he whimpered like a baby.

Sky Star and Celaeno knocked a couple more goons down, and motioned to the Guardians to follow them. They ran off, with the pirates and hippogriff assisting in fighting off any storm creature that came at them.

The Guardians halted when they arrived at the spot of the cages that kept their friends and family captive. Eclipse gasped happily at seeing his beloved aunty Chi. Nori and Kombu nuzzled their noses together, and Gallant Steed hurried to his mother and father, who were still chained, but were content to see their son well and alive. Hiro and Mai hurried to the cage that kept their parents hostage.

"Hiro! Mai!" Asami exclaimed happily to see her children, despite the exhausted look on her face. The children held their parents's hands. They didn't realize just how much they had missed them until now. Mai was practically on the verge of tears.

"Careful, kids" Bolin warned. "The cages, they…" he stopped once he realized that the cages didn't do anything to either Hiro or Mai. "Aren't sucking up magic?"

Seeing the chance, Hiro found a random rock on the floor and got ready to throw it. "Stand back!"

Both parents did as he told them, and when he threw the rock it glowed green and once it struck the cage it bursted into bits. Asami and Bolin looked bewildered at the remains. The cage should have sucked up Hiro's magical explosion, but it didn't. Then, Asami remembered those bits of magical energy that exited out of the bottom of the cage when the Storm King took everyone's magic.

The two kids ran up and hugged their parents, happy to be reunited again. The moment was cut short when Bolin saw one of the storm creatures behind them, pulling out one of the orbs.

"No!" Bolin jumped in front of his family, holding his arms out in front of him while Asami shielded the kids. However, as the orb came at Bolin, something unexpected happened.

The orb stopped in mid air, right above Bolin. Some kind of sucking sound was heard, as if it was trying to capture anything Bolin still had, but came out empty. The orbs were meant to suck on the nearest form of magic, but Bolin was blocking it with his lack of it. The orb's programing somehow couldn't comprehend this, and it started to vibrate and grow intensely hot. Bolin shielded his family, while the pirates, Sky Star, Capper and Guardians ducked in cover as the orb spontaneously combusted, sending electrical currents which seemed to have effected the rest of the orbs that each storm creature carried. Like a row of dominos. Knock down one, the others will quickly follow.

The intense blast also caused all of the shackles and cages nearby to crumbled like withered old rocks that couldn't hold anymore. "What just happened?" Hozu asked, kicking one of the bits of broken cage with his bare feet.

Asami picked up the pieces and smiled once everything came together. "Chrysalis said these rocks suck up magic. But, the Storm King already took everyone's magic, so these orbs had nothing left to steal. And the cages already absorbed our magic, so it sucked them up dry as well."

Mai chuckled. "Guess Tempest didn't account for magic stealing orbs to fight against already stolen magic."

"Which means, what now?" Capper asked.

Chrysalis gave her friends a mischievous grin. "It means… it's an even fight."

The Sato family shared the same knowing smirks and the rest of the Guardians broke the rest of their friends and family from the cages, which were easier now that they were powerless. It would appear the Storm King and Tempest didn't account for anyone to fight back once the magic was physically gone. Cockiness really can become one's downfall.

Using her supper strength, Mai broke Double Diamond, Sweet Gala and Half Pipe free, while Hiro used his explosions to free Cheese Sandwich and Cookie Cream. The little filly jumped into his arms.

Gallant Steed freed his parents, P'Li and Zaheer, and proceeded to free Thorax, his kids and his brother. Nori used her pearls to break the cage containing her father, and Chi turned into her wolf form to free her family. But the storm creatures refused to give up without a fight. They may not have cages to trap them anymore, but they still had their spears and their strength, they still had many others locked in cages, and they were greater in numbers.

But, as it was shown before, cockiness can and will become one's downfall.

When the storm creatures swung their spears at Bolin, Asami did a tuck and roll and kicked the spear right out of his hand, allowing Bolin to grab it and knock the creature down. Another came at him, and despite not being able to earthbend anymore, still had his physical strength and pushed him back. Sky Star swooped in and took the creature up into the air, where he dropped his spear and Bolin grabbed it before tossing it to Asami. The two proceeded to fight the rest of the storm creatures using their new weapons.

Double Diamond picked up a rope and tossed the other end to his son. Using is skateboard, Half Pipe surrounded the storm creature, trying his lower half with the rope and using it to knock him off balance. When another creature came from behind, Sweet Gala leaped into the air, with a frying pan in her mouth, and struck him right in the face, knocking him down. Double Diamond hugged his children, beaming with pride.

Three storm creatures came running, but Nori used her pearls to knock them down one by one, while her father charged after another. Kombu leaped into the air and sent a flying kick attack to the face, knocking him back where he released his spear. Kombu grabbed it with his tail and used it to fight off against the rest of the creatures alongside his daughter.

Cheese Sandwich came up to one of the creatures, handing him a wrapped up present. "Surprise!" he said before zipping away.

The storm creature, not too bright, took the gift and opened it, excited to see what was inside. Cookie Cream popped out, holding a cupcake in her hoof.

"Double surprise!!" Cookie threw the cupcake at his face and, side by side, father and daughter started doing what Pinkie Pie would have done: Assault the bad guy with cake!

Only, rather than use just a few cakes, the storm creature whimpered for his mommy to see Cookie Cream's easy bake confetti cannon now up and loaded. On top, Cheese and Cookie wore helmets and goggles, while smiling sinisterly. They lit the fuse and--

BAM!

The storm creature, and twelve to fourteen more were down for the count, drowning in a sea of icing. Cheese and Cookie hoof pumped. "Your mother would be so proud of you!" Cheese said, wiping away a tear.

Thorax and Pharynx fought side by side. Despite not being able to change or fly, the two still used their natural strength, and their own antlers to fight off the creatures. Ivy and Leo, being fast and nimble, managed to outsmart the goons. Leo leaped into the air, jumping on his head. The storm creature tried to hit the little changeling, only to wind up hitting himself.

Leo gave a haughty laugh. "Ha! Why you hitting yourself?"

Ivy narrowly missed the punches of another and knocked down buckets of pain, causing them to slip and fall, all the while splashing into each other against a wall, creating an accidentally masterpiece.

River was blocked by Grubber, who pounded his fists together while laughing maniacally. "You seem tense. Do you wanna talk about it?" River asked, much to Grubber's surprise.

Soarin and Fire Fly kicked at the creatures while Starlight and Sunburst, alongside Zaheer and P'Li managed to pry even more spears and shields from the storm creatures. Nova NightShade and Sunset Shimmer also joined the fight. Even without their magic, they still had their martial arts training. They kicked and punched at the creatures, while using everyday objects to their advantage.

Starlight grabbed the ends of a large ribbon at the same time Sunset caught the other end. Together, they galloped around three more troops and tied them up with the ribbon like Half Pipe did with the rope.

P'Li used her incredible strength to knock more of them down, while Nova grabbed onto the tarp of one of the destroyed tents to blind another of the storm creatures, while using his tail to wield the spear, as did the other ponies.

Capper's hairs stood on end when another creature came at him, but Chrysalis came to his rescue, transforming into an Ursa Minor, which roared and frightened the goon. He literally peed his trousers and ran away in fear, tossing his shield into the air.

Chrysalis changed back into herself and caught the handle of the shield with her tail. When more charged at her, with such casual grace and confidence, she spun the shield with the tip of her tail and tossed it at them, knocking them down with the shield that kept on spinning and then back like a boomerang. Capper ducked just in time, and right when the shield knocked five more troopers at once.

Capper's eyes widened and he felt his heart do a back flip. "Meow! What a woman!"

P'Li fought one of the creatures with her spear and turned to the Guardians. "Head to the castle! We'll hold them off!"

The children turned to their respected families, where Nova kicked another storm creature in the face. "Go! We've got this!"

And it was true. These goons may be many, but they could never match with the fighting spirit that these heroes had. Besides, without those magic stealing orbs, they had no real power over them anymore. And, there were still many others that needed to be freed. The numbers were about to increase.

With Captain Celaeno, Capper and Sky Star right behind them, the Guardians ran further into the city to reach the castle, no doubt where Iris and Akari would be. They ran right past River, who was still consoling a sobbing Grubber.

"So, all I want is for Tempest to know what a good sidekick I am." he sobbed, "But she never notices me! Maybe that's why I try to fill the void with food!" Grubber brawled and blew into his tissue, making a trumpet-like sound as kind-hearted River patted him on the back.

"There, there. Let it all out."

(~)

Canterlot was a massive city, but thankfully the kids knew each pathway, every street corner and every shop to know which was the fastest way to the castle. Unfortunately, the Storm King's army was still very large. But, thankfully, so was their own army. Or, at least it would be.

Seeing more of their caged friends and family, the Guardians all got to work in freeing them. Chrysalis turned into a bear to break the cages, Mai used her supper strength while Hiro used his explosion powers. Nori broke them apart by hurling pearls like a torpedo, and Chi picked up one of the creature's spears she managed to grab and used her supper speed to accelerate the process by breaking more and more cages in her wake. Sky Star used her hippogriff strength to break the cages and chains, while also knocking down more of the goons down.

Tenzin and the rest of his family were freed by Chrysalis and Capper, and Trixie was freed by Gallant Steed, whom she hugged affectionately. More and more people, spirits and ponies were freed, including Spike and the spirit trio. Wan Shi Tong and Goldie as well, spreading their wings. Despite having lost their size, they could still fly and they had their talons. The two didn't waste time in flying towards their captors and scratching at their faces and arms.

Spike broke apart the cages containing Ember and her fellow dragons, who then in turn freed the Griffins. One by one, more and more were released. Mai broke another cage, where Bumi, Kya, Lin and Suyin had been kept in. "Come on! We have to get to the castle! We need everyone's help!"

"What can we do?" Varrick asked, "The ponies have no magic, you guys have no bending, the dragons can't breath fire, changelings can't change! We're all powerless!"

Bumi gave him a knowing smile. "When has that ever stopped us?"

Varrick's eyes widened in realization. When had having no magic ever stopped them? They've faced giant siren mecha suits, giant centaurs, shadow demons, anti-bending lunatics, changelings queens, the list goes on. And every time they had something that should have stopped them, they defied the odds. It sometimes took a while, but they always managed. Even now, when so many had lost their powers, rather than be a weakness, it was an advantage.

Having heard this, the former Equalist protestor grabbed a nearby megaphone and stood on a half broken wooden stand. Raising his fist into the air and shouting into the megaphone.

"Humans, ponies, spirits and creatures of Equestria! Let's take back our home!"

The entire city bursted into a rousing roar of applauds and powerful battle cries. Using the every day items at their disposal, the humans, ponies spirits and everyone came together to fight back the army. Without their magic sucking weapons, they didn't stand a chance.

Kya, Bumi, Lin, Tenzin and Suyin, along with Iroh stood their ground against an army of the storm creatures. Using his cane, Tenzin fought off the creatures by flipping and twirling the cane as if it were an airbending staff to evade their attacks. Using a ribbon like a water whip, Kya wrapped it around the wrists of one storm creature and yanked him back, using his weight to knock more down.

Bumi even took some old records and started tossing them like frisbees to strike the creatures. Iroh grabbed a fire extinguisher and used it to blast several of them away away. He may not have fire right now, but this worked too. Suyin grabbed a few decorate fans from an activity stand and tossed a few to Lin.

"Remember our summer at Kyoshi Island?" Su asked her eldest sister. Lin only smirked and, much to the surprise of many, the two elder Beifong sisters used the fans to block the creatures's incoming punches before bringing down their own, knocking them down and throwing the fans at their faces at such speed it broke bits of their masks.

Lin smiled in satisfaction and inspected her nails. "Oh, yeah! Mamma still got it!"

(~)

Despite their small size, Ali, Mika and San made the most of it. Spike scratched at the creatures with his claws, and the spirit trio worked together to lift up a spear to fight back. Even Ember managed to do just fine without her fire breath, as did the rest of the dragons. Even Madam Alpha, of all ponies, got into the fight, as well as her fateful Diamond Dog companion, Mekarm who used his mechanical arm to grab the monster and toss him over his head, while Madam Alpha slammed his face into a wall. Naga, Timber an Akhlut were freed and charged at the creatures, bitting at their tails and clawing their faces. Payback for imprisoning them.

Apple Bloom freed her older brother and sister-in-law and joining with Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, Jinora, Kai, Meelo and Ikki, they held their own against the beasts. Kuvira even got creative and tossed a few pies and forks their way, while Adagio, Sonata and Aria found some trumpets from the orchestra and blew into them so powerfully it send loud vibrations that knocked the creatures down. Tahno and his nephew Akio got creative by getting some old Wolf Bat costumes and used them to frighten the creatures, complete with howls and snarling effects.

Rohan fought off one creature, accompanied by his nieces and nephews, who definitely inherited their mother and father's fighting skills. Meelo managed to lure several of the storm creatures into the bouncy house, where he deflated it and the creatures were now desperately trying to find a way out of the heap of fabric.

Meelo couldn't help but laugh to himself. "Talk about your winds of war!"

(~)

Sky Star flew through, only to get knocked down by one the storm creatures. The princess landed hard on the ground and looked on in terror as the creature was about to send the spear right through her.

A massive shadow loomed over them and the storm creature was tossed aside by the strength of another hippogriff. For a second, Sky Star thought she was dreaming. It had been so long since she had seen her like this, and a part of her feared she never would again.

"Mom?"

Queen Novo helped her daughter back up, looking at her with eyes of regret. "I am so sorry, honey. You were right. I allowed the Storm King break my spirit." Novo hung her head, but then smiled, cupping her daughter's cheek. "But good thing he never broke yours."

"My friends reminded me I still had it."

"Then what'ya say we return them the favor?" Queen Novo winked and mother and daughter joined forces to fight the Storm King's massive army.

(~)

While everyone else was fighting the creatures, Varrick, Zhu Li, VJ and Juniper peeked from behind a wall. Trixie emerged beside them, all sharing the same mischievous grins.

The storm creatures came charging, only to stop when they saw Varrick, accompanied by his family and Trixie, and a wagon filled with deadly looking fireworks.

"Family… do the thing!"

At Varrick's command, they all lit the rockets, which went ricocheting directly at the goons, sending them flying up into the air. Trixie galloped her front hooves victoriously, while Varrick and his family cheered victoriously.

"Yeah! Burn baby! Burn!"

(~)

Aiwei's spider spirit friend used her small size to her advantage, crawling up onto the storm creatures and stinging them with her non-venomous tail, while Aiwei, with the assistance of Opal, got them to trip on their backs.

Mako and Bolin's entire earth kingdom family worked together, alongside Tonraq, Eska and Desna to join the fight. The spirits who had shrunken down all rallied together, forming an army of their own…

An army led by none other than Gomu, Prince Wu Derpy Hooves, who wore war paint on their faces and led the attack against the storm creatures.

"FREEDOM!!!" Derpy hooves shouted powerfully and she, Gomu and the smaller spirits attacked all at once like mad.

Prince Wu fought the creatures like a savage, lifting up his spear into the air. "Who's the weakling now, storm punks! Face the wrath of Wu!"

(~)

"It's mass pandemonium, folks!" Shiro Shinobi narrated, while standing on a wooden table. "The feathers, fur and hairs are flying as ponies, humans and mythical creatures alike band together to reclaim our beloved home! Storm creatures are dropping like bumble flies! I haven't seen anything like this since the time Amon and his Equalists attacked the pro-bending arena!"

Shiro turned around to see someone behind him. "Looks like a case of Deja Vu as one of the storm creatures is now wielding one of his spears and is about to hurt me. Thankfully, I have come prepared this time!"

Shiro whistled, and right on cue, Queen Novo swooped down and knocked him down with her massive size and raw power. The reporter man thanked her with a high five.

"Shiro Shinobi has finally been avenged!"

(~)

Mai was caught off guard when one of the creatures grabbed her hair, yanking her and throwing her over his head. She landed on the ground, grunting as the beast toward over her. The creature then fell to the ground when something heavy struck the back of his head. Once he fell, his attacker was revealed to be Lu Ten, wielding one of the spears.

He extended his hand to help Mai back up. "Perfect timing, babe." she said with a wink, right before kissing him on the lips.

Hiro and Gallant flipped onto the scene, fighting off against another creature, while Mai and Lu Ten were still kissing. "Seriously?! Right now?!" Gallant exclaimed in annoyance.

Mai stopped the kiss. "You and the others keep these monsters under control. We've got to get Iris and Akari."

"Go for it!" Lu Ten gave her a salute and proceeded to fight the creatures again.

The Guardians ran faster than ever, they were getting closer to the castle now, but it would appear there was no end to these storm creatures for more came marching behind them. Queen Novo blocked their way, along with Celaeno's crew.

"Keep going!" Novo ordered.

"We got this, Captain!" Mullet gave Celaeno a salute. The pirates and hippogriff queen proceeded to fight the rest of the army.

The team ran towards the plaza, where the concert for Songbird Serenade was to be held, only to have it be blocked by--what else--more storm creatures.

Hozu groaned in exasperation. "I am so over these guys!"

Capper then turned to the wisp. "Hey, didn't you say you could turn into a wolf?"

Chi smiled back, "Depends. Don't cats have claws?"

Capper never really thought of that, but the moment he pulled out those razor sharp knives, he had his answer.

Chi changed into her wolf form and Capper tapped into his inner wild animal, letting out a hostile cat yell and started scratching at the monsters like there was no tomorrow. Chrysalis changed into an elephant and knocked them back, while Mai unleashed her fire, burning the white hairs of their bodies which sent them running.

Gallant Steed blasted them off with airbending, tossing them into the air, while Nori flipped over them, using her powers to creature a string of pearls as a whip to wrap around them and throw them out of her way.

SkyStar pulled out her two clam friends, Shelly and Sheldon, and tossed them at one storm creature. The oysters snapped and bit onto his eyes as she lifted another one into the air with her strength. Hiro had collected an assortment of candies back from the destroyed stands and tossed them all to explode and trap the creatures in a sticky webbing of melted candies.

Hozu, out of all of them was the least excited to use his powers. He didn't want to unintentionally harm anyone. All of his worries went out the window when one of the creatures swiped Celaeno's sword right out of her hand and knocked her down.

"Celaeno!" Hozu cried out, outstretching his hands without question. Shooting from his finger tips came an array of blue lightning which lifted the creature up and threw him back, away from Celaeno. Hozu could feel his anxieties rising, only to suddenly calm down when Caleano patted him on the back.

"Thanks for the save, kid."

"Uh… no problem." Hozu smiled, for once, feeling happy to have helped someone with his powers. He wasn't entirely sure why they didn't get out of control for once. None the less, he was thankful none the less.

Celaeno's gratitude helped as well.

(~)

From the balcony, Iris and Akari saw the commotion happening down bellow. They couldn't believe it! Their friends came back, and along with Hozu, Capper, Sky Star and Celaeno! They were all here, and looking over the city, they saw so many others fighting and winning against the Storm King's army.

Tempest saw the fight and her eyes widened in horror and confusion. "What?! How?!"

That was a good question. How did those kids manage to get here so fast? And how did that pirate bird and meddling cat survive? And where did that hippogriff come from? More than that, why weren't the guard's magic stealing orbs working anymore? The prisoners weren't supposed to fight back! They had no powers, how could they be fighting back?

Iris gasped, a smile grew on her face. "It's… It's the Magic of…"

"Yeah, yeah!" The Storm King interrupted, speaking in a false falsetto as he wrapped Tempest and the two princesses in a hug, "Friendship, and flowers, and ponies, and bleh!" The Storm King released them, done with his sarcastic little joke. "I'm so totally over the cute pony thing. This... ends... now!"

The Storm King aimed the scepter into the sky, where a powerful beam of energy bursted out, taking on the form of a lightning strike far stronger and greater than anything any mere firebender could ever hope to replicate.

He spun the scepter around and the thick clouds above began to spiral at his command. The Guardians and their friends stopped the fight to look up and the storm creatures ceased their attempts at apprehending them. The winds picked up, kicking up dust and twisting together.

Chrysalis and Nori yelped, feeling the intense winds as it pulled on their manes and tails. Instinctively Capper leaped forward, wrapping is arms around Chrysalis and Nori in a protective manner, while Chi held Mai and Hiro in place. Sky Star used her wings to stabilize Hozu and Gallant Steed, while Celaeno held her hat tightly onto her head. Her eyes widening in horror was the winds formed together to create a massive twister, completely at the whim of the Storm King.

Iris held Akari close and even Tempest Shadow herself looked on in alarm. This wasn't what she had expected, or hoped for. She knew the Storm King wanted power, but this was insane. Tempest only wanted her horn back, not complete and total destruction of the population. She was fine with a few things that resulted in rule breaking and frightening people if it demanded respect, but this? This type of storm could kill everyone including…

Tadashi… he was still out there there somewhere, even if she didn't see him she knew he had to be there. If the Storm King managed to--

No! No. Tadashi didn't care about her anymore, and Tempest wanted revenge, so this was it. But, she never wanted Tadashi to get hurt, she only wanted to hurt Korra, Twilight and their family. But, was this madness really worth it? It had to be, she came too far to turn back now.

The Storm King laughed like a maniac as the winds became stronger, too strong that even the storm creatures had to hold onto something or get blasted into the air.

"Take cover, ya'll!" Capper cried out. Everyone followed him and managed to hide themselves behind an already crumbling house, seeing the twister become stronger and stronger by the minute. It was a category five hurricane with high speed winds that could destroy an entire city. The twister had only formed in the upper plaza near the castle, but it would grow and expand if they didn't stop that maniac as soon as possible.

"You'd have to be flying faster than a speeding Pegasus to break through that wind!" Chrysalis exclaimed, while Capper held her protectively in his arms.

Mai's ember eyes brightened. "Or an even stronger wind…" she then turned towards the half-nymph boy, who started at her with widened eyes. "Hozu, can you make a twister big enough to take us to that balcony?"

Hozu, for a moment, lost his ability to speak. Nobody had ever asked this of him before. "I-I used to make small twisters with my mom when I was a kid but, I've never… what if I make things worse?!" Mai, to his surprise, grabbed him by the arms, staring fiercely yet compassionately into his eyes.

"Hozu! Your powers are what saved us back at the waterfall. You created that cloud that saved us at Kluegtown, and you tried to protect Akari. I was wrong, your powers can be used for good! But you have to let go of that fear and focus everything you have into saving our friends! Iris believed in you, now you have to believe in yourself. You can do this. We're all right behind you."

Hozu stared at Mai, and then at the others. Everyone nodded in agreement. They all believed in him, they believed in his powers, but most of all… they trusted him. And Mai, the one who blamed him for everything that went wrong on their journey, was actually encouraging him to take a risk and use his gift to save the ones they loved.

As scared as he was, Hozu swallowed it. For Iris, he would do this. For his friends… he would do anything.

(~)

We got this... together!

*(~)*

John 15:13~

There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends.

*(~)*

We got this… Together!

"Now I truly am the Storm King!" The beast laughed in triumph, throwing his arms into the air, embracing the wild, deadly winds that were at the mercy of him and him alone. "And the entire world will bow to my ba-ba-ba-boom, baby!"

Tempest squinted her eyes, trying to pierce through the harsh winds as she approached the great beast. She had endured his infuriating behavior long enough, and there was no way she would let all of this go to waste. She needed to have her horn back, her magic back. It was all she had left to thrive for, she couldn't keep going through life another moment without her gift.

"Yes, yes, you are every bit as powerful as I promised, Sire! Now, restore my horn and I swear to use my magic to serve you!"

Tempest bent her foreleg and bowed her head low before the Storm King. She didn't really mean it, but once she had her horn she would find a way to escape and never look back, and then she can start a new life, one free from all of this. Free from her past, free of Tadashi, free of any Queens of Princess of Friendship.

But rather than feel the triumphant joy of regaining what she had lost, her request was met with the Storm King's cackle as lighting flashed behind him.

"Who cares about your dinky little unicorn horn!" The Storm King said, shoving Tempest away like she was worthless. At this point, she did feel that way. Without her horn, without her magic, without her gift, what more did she have? She lost her triad, her friend, this was all she had left.

Tempest shook her head, refusing to believe this. She jumped in his way, "But… we... we had an agreement!"

"Get with the program! I used you! It's kind of what I do!" The Storm King said the last part excitedly proud of himself. "Besides, even if I did give you back your horn, I knew what you were really planning."

Tempest gasped and stepped back in fear. "I--I don't know what--"

"You wanted to get your horn so you can sneak off and get revenge on those weirdoes who took it from you! You think you're so smart, but your biggest mistake was telling me your life's story when I found you wandering around the forest like the pathetic, powerless unicorn you are! It was boring, but hey, at least it gave me a head's up."

Tempest never imagined she could feel even worse than she already did. The Storm King had hired her because he claimed to have seen her potential, and that with her horn restored she could get what she wanted. Tempest saw the opportunity to take advantage of his lust for power to benefit herself, but she hadn't realized it was she who was being deceived this entire time! She clearly underestimated the king's intelligence, and now she was about to pay the price for it.

The Storm King aimed his staff at Tempest. Now that he had his power, she was no longer needed. Tempest stumbled back, avoiding the blasts, but attacked in defense with her own magic. The energy sparked from her broken horn, blasting both the king and Tempest back. The Storm King fell on his stomach, while Tempest was pulled into the tornado. She quickly grabbed onto the balcony railing for her dear life, but the winds proved to be more powerful than she.

Akari saw that the Storm King was down, and the staff was right there. They could grab it and stop him right then and there. But her attention was more on Tempest Shadow, who lost her grip and was about to get sucked into the tornado. Akari leaped forward and grabbed her hoof, but the winds began pulling her in as well. Iris sacrificed the chance to grab the staff to instead reach out and save her friend from getting sucked into the winds.

"Hold on!" Akari shouted over the roar of the storm, with Iris holding her back legs. Tempest breathed heavily as the young princess held onto her hoof like her life depended on it.

"Why are you saving me?" She asked. Tempest couldn't comprehend why Akari and Iris would be willing to save her after everything she had done.

Tempest had turned their family to stone, waged siege over their entire land, and she helped a maniac steal their magic, even threatened lives multiple times all just so she could get her horn back. Why would these princesses do this? Was this some kind of trick? Did they really think that just because Tempest was about to die was she now someone they cared about?

Akari's cyan blue eyes sparkled with something Tempest had only ever seen once in her life. It was a familiar spark she saw in the eyes of Tadashi so long ago. Those eyes haunted Tempest for years, reminding of her what she no longer had, only now that she was gazing into them again did they suddenly signify something entirely different than what she had original thought.

"Because this… is what friends do."

Akari's words rang in Tempest's ears. Akari actually smiled at her, and it wasn't just any generic smile. This smile carried so many words, so many things Tempest felt she couldn't keep up with even if she tried.

Tempest believed that one could only ever be happy so long as they had what they wanted, what they loved and that was it. Tempest had it, but Tadashi chose something different, and by saying 'no' to his offer, she was left alone without her magic and without him. Tempest traveled beyond Equestria to capture these princesses to get back what she believed they took from her… she was just about to loose her life because of that choice, something she had never anticipated.

And yet, the very people she had resented all these years, blamed for her shortcomings, people she despised and believed to be above in a way… were actually sparing her from the cold hands of death, for no other reason than… they had chosen to become her friends. Without asking for anything, without demanding anything.

Was… was this what Tadashi had found? Was this what he wanted her to experience? Was this also what they meant by giving up something in order to gain something better? Was it possible that Tempest was… wrong?

For the first time in years, Tempest felt tears form in her eyes. Her point of view began to shift, breaking apart and making way for new thoughts and new feelings. She didn't care about her horn anymore, all she could focus on was the mercy and forgiveness expressed by these two wonderful young women.

With a grunt, Iris yanked the two ponies back onto the balcony. Akari placed her hoof over Tempest while Iris held them both. The winds somehow softened for a moment. Tempest was still at a loss for words, but she was genuinely thankful, and by the looks of it, the princesses didn't need Tempest to say anything. They didn't save her to get recognition, they only did it because they cared about her, despite everything she had done. Tempest was still a pony. Still an Equestrian, just like them.

"Awwww! Isn't that just so sweet!" The Storm King laughed sarcastically and aimed his staff at the trio's terrified faces. "Yeah. See ya!"

(~)

Hiro used his earthbending to create a jagged circle for everyone to stand on. They all clung onto each other, with Hozu taking the lead. Mai held Nori in her arms while Hiro held Gallant Steed, and Chrysalis was secured with Capper. Chi had her hands on Hozu's shoulders, while Mai and Hiro had their free hands holding onto Chi's arms.

"You sure about this?" Capper asked with uncertainty.

"Just DO IT!" Hiro shouted excitedly, then tapped Hozu's shoulder, "Thanks man!"

Sky Star was literally trembling with excitement as she held onto Mai and Captain Celaeno. "I'm excited! Who's excited? Aaah! I've never been so excited!"

Hozu's eyes were fierce, but still scared. He breathed in and out, trying to focus on the task at hand. He looked up at the palace balcony, where the tornado kept picking up speed, growing stronger by the minute. His heart pounded hard against the walls of his chest, already feeling the electricity dancing underneath his skin, his breathing accelerating.

Closing his eyes, Hozu returned to his childhood home. The happy moment where his mother would create a small little harmless twister in her hand and taught him to do so. A repressed moment manifested, and little Hozu lost control of the twister, in which it disappeared in a puff of air. He sulked in disappointment.

"I can't get the hang of it!"

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Hozu." His mother said. Her voice was clear as a bell, and eyes that sparkled like the stars of a clear night sky. "Don't focus on the fear of getting it wrong. Focus on just trying."

"But what if I try and I still fail?"

"That's why you have me. And one day, you'll have friends who will believe in you too."

"Why do I need friends for? I have you, Mom."

"Son, I may not always be around. But never forget, even if you can't see me…" she gently cupped his cheek, "As long as someone believes in you… you are never truly alone."

The memory shifted to when Hozu returned home and saw his mother's lifeless body. His grief and loneliness and the guilt of not being with her before she died had scarred him deep. But he needed to let those scars heal, and it was because of his friends did he finally realize that they could. He refused to let his fear and insecurities keep him down any longer. Iris and Akari needed them, that's what was important right now.

The thrive and ambition fueled his spiritual energy. His irises glowed a bright blue and his fingertips charged with electrical currents and the slate of rock the others stood one began to tremble and rise. Winds picked up from underneath, spinning faster and faster. A powerful twister, white as a snowy wind in contrast to the Storm King's gray and black twister, formed and rose the team upwards into the sky, shooting them up like a torpedo.

The rest of the team screamed as they were shot from the ground, being lifted up by Hozu's twister. The young half-ling kept his focused eyes straight ahead while everyone else screamed, minus Hiro and Sky Star, who were both laughing at the exhilarating speed. The wind in their faces, smiles bare exposing their teeth.

Hozu's twister carried them to the very top of the balcony right through the intense winds, and the team was catapulted out of the rock slate, which flipped over in mid air. The team screamed even louder, getting the attention of the Storm King.

Before he could step back, the entire gang collided with his massive body, knocking him backwards into the palace. The staff flew out of his grip, flying into a glass window. The Storm King continued to roll, falling into a staircase as the rest of the Guardians, Celaeno, Capper, Sky Star and Hozu rolled and landed on the floor.

Hiro rolled to a stop, his back to the floor and his legs outstretched against a wall. "Bull's-eye!" he said weakly.

Gallant Steed shook his head and inspected his body. "We're alive? We're alive! Oh, thank Celesti-AAAHHH!!" Gallant scurried away at the stone statue of Celestia, standing alongside her mother and younger sister. "Okay, poor choice of words."

Iris and Akari hurried inside, both beaming in relief to see their friends again. "Gallant! You all came back!" Akari galloped and she and her boyfriend embraced, followed shortly by Chrysalis and Nori. Iris hugged her cousins and Chi, who then ruffled her hair.

Akari's ears dropped, "I am so sorry! I was such an idiot! I never should have--"

"It's okay." Nori said sweetly. "We forgive you. We always will. We're not the Guardians of Harmony without you. "

Iris walked up to Hozu, who's hair had messed up during the speedy ride up there. "You came back." Iris said, not so much as surprised, more so as in a way she had somewhat expected it.

Hozu shyly scratched the back of his neck, "Yeah, well. I thought it over and--" Hozu was cut short when Chi manifested in between them.

"Uh, kiss and make up later! This isn't over!" The wisp pointed in panic at the staff, still lodged inside the stained glass window.

Without anyone to wield it, the staff was out of control. Magic spewed from its jewel, blasting at the ceiling which crumbled all around. The sickly green and black storm swirled above their heads, the winds rising their hairs, feathers and cloths in all directions. Tempest ran, ducking for cover, narrowly missing the falling chunks of stone.

Akari pushed Hozu out of the way before another piece of rock would fall on him. The staff was going crazier than ever. At this rate, the entire castle would fall, with all of them with it, leaving only this deadly storm to eliminate everyone else. The entire scene was Akari's own nightmare come to life!

Iris helped Hozu back up and she and Akari looked up at the staff. They recognized the sparks of magic that was their own, and that of their mothers. They could feel the energy calling to them, as if reaching out for them.

"We have to get control of it!" Iris exclaimed to the rest of the Guardians, the winds picking up, making her hair and the ends of her cloths flap in the wind.

"Go!" Celaneo called out over the strong winds. "You've got this, you kids!"

Akari's eyes widened. She and her friends were the Guardians of Harmony, it was their job to save the world. But, their mission wasn't all about beating up evil monsters and uncovering ancient magical artifacts. It was about spreading the most important magic of all to those who needed it most. Celaeno, Sky Star, Capper, Hozu, they all came to their rescue, even if they didn't have super powers, they still came to help.

People like them were the reason they were the Guardians in the first place. In them was where their true power. If they were going to save the world, then Akari swore she would do it the way an Element of Harmony was supposed to do it. The way her mother would have.

The events may mirror what occurred in her nightmare, but unlike her dream, right now… she wasn't alone.

"No. We've got this. All of us. Together."

Iris smiled proudly. "Now and forever."

Celaeno, Capper, Hozu and Sky Star looked at one another, and then back at the Guardians, all of which nodded in agreement, their chests puffed up, ready to fight and with smiles of determination. Starting today, these four friends were Guardians too!

Pulling out a sturdy piece of rope, Celaeno tied it around her waist, and the other end around a fallen piece of the ceiling. With their wings spread open, Iris and Akari took the lead. Iris held Akari's body, while Sky Star gripped Iris's waist tightly. Nori held onto Sky Star's tail, followed by Chrysalis, and Gallant, then Hiro, Mai, Chi, Hozu, Capper and finally Celaeno. Together, they formed a durable chain and with a gust of wind, curtesy of Hozu, the team rose up into the air, with the three princess (alicorn, Avatar and hippogriff) using their wings as momentum to keep them steady and reach towards the staff.

The Storm King scrambled over the fallen stones, his razor sharp teeth bare and his pupils now slits as he made his way over the fallen debris and used his massive hands to climb up to reach the magical object.

"The staff belongs to me!" he said, his voice a far, far cry away from his happy-go-lucky evil bad-guy persona.

Now, it was as if his true ferocious animalistic nature had surfaced. He starved for the powers, almost at the same level Tempest did for her horn. The beast used a tower of broken stones to climb up towards the staff. Iris outstretched her hands, still holding Akari who's hooves reached out to grab the staff. Celaeno moved forward and the group held onto one another as tightly as they could while also stretching enough for the girls to grab the magical artifact. As the winds picked up, the sides of Iris's shirt began to rip apart the harder Sky Star held on.

Akari grunted as she reached out her hoof, but the staff's power was fueling the storm, making it even stronger, and the Storm King was getting closer. They were running out of time.

"No! That's my staff!!" The Storm King grunted and climbed faster like a hungry animal. "Miiiiiine!! Mine!!!"

They were almost there, but they needed to get closer. Acting fast, Iris pushed herself further to allow Akari to grab the staff, at the exact same time a piece of clothing tore off of Iris, and the glass shattered. The staff sparked more magical energy and the Storm King, Akari and Iris were all sucked in. Sky Star frantically reached out her claws to grab onto Iris again, but she slipped right through.

The rope kept the others anchored, but the alicorn princesses and the Storm King were thrown into the vortex.

"Iris! Akari! Nooooooooooo!!!" Sky Star cried out in anguish. Her big blue tears teared up, her empty claw still reaching outwards in a desperate attempt to grab them again. It was just like when her mother had forced them out of their palace, but at least then she knew they would still be alive. Now?…

The chain of friends kept flapping in mid air as the storm continued on. Everyone tried desperately to catch a glimpse of their friends, but they couldn't see a trace through the thick moving clouds.

Tempest managed to climb out of the rock pile, her chest feeling heavy as she stared at the storm. She couldn't see the princesses either. She thought she'd be happy for something like this, but after what they did for her... she felt like she had let someone down again.

(~)

Akari held onto the staff for her dear life as she spun around and around within the storm. Pieces of the glass window flew all around, one of which cut her left cheek. The princess cried out in pain, feeling the blood already spilling out.

She had lost Iris. Her friend's grip having been lost when they were sucked into the tornado. Akari found one flying piece of rock and landed on it, frantically looking around for any signs of Iris.

Finally she spotted her. The Avatar was gripping onto another flying piece of rock, her nails digging onto the side, her wings spread out, trying to somehow, someway use the winds to stabilize herself.

"Iris!"

Iris looked over her shoulder and gasped happily to see her friend. Her smile quickly faded. "Look out!"

Akari ducked in cover when the Storm King came charging at her, cleverly moving his weight along with the wind. When he missed Akari, he jumped towards Iris. She leaped out of the way and was being carried away by the winds again. Akari extend the staff to her and Iris grabbed on it. The pony pulled her friend towards her, but the Storm King was not finished with them yet.

Seeing more of the broken pieces of the castle and window, the girls jumped from one to the other in a desperate attempt to get away from him. Akari and Iris held onto one another as tightly as they could, trying to multitask with controlling the staff and avoiding the Storm King. Using the magic that was still contained within the staff, they sent electrical blasts at the beast, breaking apart the pieces of rock he had been standing on. The girls needed to concentrate in order to get the storm to stop. This constant fighting was making maters worse.

The rock they were ridding on collided with another and the girls were thrown off. Akari held the staff, landing on another stone, but Iris was not so lucky.

She landed fine, but unfortunately, she was now held hostage by the Storm King. He gripped Iris with his massive, hairy white arm, his claws gripping her neck, attempting to chock her. The beast laughed maniacally as Iris wrestled against his grip.

"Hand me the staff, or she dies!"

"Akari!" Iris cried out, "Don't--Arch!" The Avatar could feel the circulation in her throat tightening. Akari looked at her, then at the staff's glowing crystal. Her clever mind quickly calculated a fast plan. She positioned herself just right, feeling the winds and picking up the sounds with her ears.

"You want the staff so badly? Here it comes!"

With all of her might, Akari thrusted herself forward, spiraling towards the Storm King like a missal. The sparkling jewel was aimed directly at the Storm King's free arm. Upon impact, the end of the sharp jewel pierced his arm, sending electrical currents coursing through his body.

The beast let out an ear piercing scream, his grip on Iris's neck loosening. He flung his arm around, slapping Akari right in the face, knocking her unconscious as she was carried off by the harsh winds.

"Akari!" Thinking fast, Iris removed the staff from the Storm King's arm and used its magic to push her towards her friend. The Storm King continued to scream, his arm sparking with magic that left him powerless and weak. That attack wouldn't kill him, but it wounded him long enough to keep him out of their hair.

Iris spread her wings open, using the staff's power to her advantage and reached out her hand to try and grab her unconscious friend. She was so close. Almost there…

(~)

Welcome Home

*(~)*

Romans 12:2 ~

Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person. By changing the way you think. Then you will know God's will for you. Which is good, and pleasing, and perfect.

*(~)*

Welcome Home

The stormy winds started to ease, lowering the group of heroes back down. Celaeno untied herself, but her eyes were still on the spiraling clouds up ahead. Everyone stared wide eyed and distressed as the deadly monstrous hurricane dispersed. The clouds stopped spiraling, expanding and allowing the sunlight to pierce through. The Storm King's wrath was finally over. But Iris and Akari were nowhere to be seen.

They couldn't see the outlines of their colors, or the feathers of their wings. They didn't see anything. Sky Star felt like a failure for having let them slip away. The hippogriff princess's eyes were wet with tears.

Gallant Steed stepped out, his eyes locked onto the sky. His ears dropped and the tears formed. Akari couldn't be gone. She couldn't.

Nori and Chrysalis stood beside him, looking up as he did. Mai held her hands close to her heart, which was already breaking. The storm clouds disappeared one by one, but the presence of the two princesses was non existent. Had they sacrificed themselves to save everyone? Was this the end of the Guardians of Harmony?

Mai cried into Hiro's shoulders. Capper kneeled down beside Chrysalis, who cried into his chest. Sky Star wrapped her wings around Nori and Gallant. The merpony cried into her friend's feathery chest, while Gallant simply hung his head, his legs feeling numb and he sat on the floor. His red and orange bangs covering his eyes.

Celaeno removed her had in respect and allowed Chi to cry into her shoulder, while Hozu stood staring up. Even after making friends, he had lost two of them. The irrefutable pain of loss overwhelmed him. His body frozen in place as a tear rolled down from his eye.

The sound of chiming rang in their ears, coming from up above. Everyone gasped and looked up at the sky. The sunlight was now entirely visible through a tunnel of clouds which began to shift from gray to white before their eyes.

A shadowy figure started descending from the sky. Everyone squinted to get a better view. As the figure came closer, there was no denying the set of feathery wings and long flowing hair.

Iris slowly descended from the clouds, her wings making gentle movements as she did. In her right hand she held the staff, while in her left arm she carried a sleeping Akari. Her cut had been healed, leaving behind only a small little scar. The pony's hair was a mess, as was Iris's. Her eyes were a mixture of content and exhaustion. But mostly content.

Avatar smiled when she saw her loved ones hurrying out to meet her. Hiro thrusted his hands into the air, cheering happily. "You're alive! Guys, they're alive!"

Once Iris's feet reached the stone floor of the balcony, she got down on her knees, placing the staff beside her. Everyone huddled around, stopping when they saw Akari still slumbering in Iris's arms.

The alicorn pony princess stirred and her tired eyes fluttered open. The first thing she saw was her best friend's beautiful violet eyes staring back at her. Her hair was frazzled, yet she still carried the regal and serene essence of a princess.

Akari managed a smile. "Thanks for the save, Petals."

"You saved me first." Iris said, and she wasn't just referring to what happened with the Storm King. In a lot of ways, Akari saved Iris's life every single day.

Gallant Steed hurried to his girlfriend, kissing her forehead and the two nuzzled noses.

"Group hug!" Hiro said, arms spread open. Seeing their chance, everyone gathered around the princesses, enveloping them in a group up. Even Hozu was brave enough to join in, not once debating on whether or not he should.

"Hozu…" Akari spoke, "I'm sorry."

The boy only smiled. "Water under the bridge." he said, ruffling her already messed up mane in a gentle manner. Iris and Akari sighed in relief as they welcomed the embrace of their friends.

The fight was over. They did it. All of them. Old friends and new, just like their parents and mentors before them.

Tempest walked out over the rubble, watching the heartwarming scene. A soft, serene smile formed on her lips, but it quickly faded. She didn't need to debate on it any further. Everything she had seen was enough to finally prove to her that it as never their philosophy that was wrong… it was her own.

She wanted to join them, but the foreign sensation of guilt kept her away. It was too late for her now. She may be alive, but she could never make up for what she had done. It would be best if she just left, or accepted prison. That's where a selfish, greedy pony like herself belonged.

Tempest's eyes widened in horror when she saw the Storm King pulling himself onto the balcony. His right arm limped beside him, wounded from Akari's attack, but he managed to gain some strength to use it. His vengeful eyes were locked onto the Guardians, too wrapped up in their embrace to notice him. He managed to pull out an orb from his pocket. An orb with the same green stone that had turned the alicorns into stone.

No! Tempest couldn't let him win! She couldn't make the same mistake again. She had nothing to loose anymore, but the world needed these Guardians to protect them from foes like the Storm King.

From foes like herself.

Her horn sparked with magic as she charged forward. Seeing her approach, Celaeno and Chi quickly got into position, ready to fight her. What they didn't know was that the Storm King had just thrown the stone, and Tempest leaped over them.

"Nooo!!"

The orb crashed into her chest, releasing the green smoke, but Tempest didn't stop running. She took the hit, allowing the smoke to engulf her, which then spread towards the Storm King, who rose his arms up in a desperate last minute attempt to shield himself.

The same black crystal material grew around their bodies, freezing them in mid air. The Storm King and Tempest were both petrified, their bodies incarcerated in magical stone. The Storm king's eyes went from blue to gray as his body fell from the balcony at great speed….

The sound of shattering stone reached the top of the balcony, and the remains of the once fearsome Storm King were spread across the floor.

As for Tempest Shadow, her statue self was frozen in mid air, levitated by the magic of the staff Iris held in her hands. With great care, she pulled Tempest back onto the balcony, where her now frozen body shimmered in the daylight.

Hozu blinked. "Whoa. I can't believe she did that." he said, almost too stunned to speak.

"I can." Iris said with a smile. The other Guardians smiled too.

Celaeno and SkyStar were a bit confused as to why they looked so unsurprised at Tempest's heroic sacrifice. They didn't realize that this wasn't the first time the Guardians have seen someone develop a change of heart, especially Chrysalis.

Capper somehow managed to put two and two together. It wasn't too long ago that he had been a greedy thief, and all it took was the kindness of his new friends to help him see the light. Maybe the same went for Tempest. These Guardians truly were something else.

The warmth in Iris's heart reached the scepter, and using the pure magic contained within it, she freed Tempest from her stone imprisonment. The one horned unicorn gasped at the transformation. The sensation of turning to stone was a horrifying one, but when she changed back, the sensation felt soft and safe. Like she was wrapped in the warm embrace that she only ever felt when Tadashi had hugged her in the past.

Tempest turned to the other Guardians, seeing Iris and Akari smiling at her. Even Sky Star was happy to see Tempest back to normal, since the stone look really didn't suit her well at all. Celeano cocked her head, still unsure if Tempest would change her mind or not, but judging from the repentant look in her eyes, and the way the other Guardians warmly welcomed her back to her normal self, maybe the unicorn really had changed for the better.

Hozu, of course, looked just as surprised as the others, but like Capper, he wasn't too shocked by it. The Guardians have proven time and time again that they had this special kind of magic that had allowed them to not only seek help to save their home, but to also vanquish the Storm King once and for all.

It was the very magic Tempest had resented, and the magic Hozu wasn't sure he could ever have, or wasn't allowed to have. He had heard it say that Friendship was a powerful force, but now that he had witnessed it first hand, he finally understood.

"So, now what?" Celaeno asked, turning to the other Guardians, who all looked at one another, then at Tempest. The unicorn smiled.

"Now… we fix everything."

Tempest led the others back inside the wrecked palace, right into the center of the floral symbol where the Storm King had placed the staff in order to absorb everyone's magic. Tempest placed the staff upside down, inserting the jewel's tip into the hole. The results reversed the effects and the aura of magic surrounded the palace.

The magic spread towards the alicorns, first Cadance and Flurry Heart. The stone surface dissolved and disappeared into sparks of light. Mother and daughter gasped, looking all around expecting to find those storm creatures again. They were surprised and relieved to find that they were back to their normal selves again.

The two embraced as the magic then freed Celestia, Luna and Leilani. The three galloped their front hooves in alarm, but quickly relaxed when they saw one another. Celestia and Luna hugged their mother, who wrapped her wings around them both.

Finally, the magic reached Korra and Twilight, both of which also gasped, looking horrified. The last thing they remembered was the fight, and they had half expected to see more of it. Their nerves were placed at ease when they realized that the spell had been broken, and their hearts filled with unconditional love at the sight of their daughters.

"Iris!"

"Akari!"

"Mom!" both princesses hurried to their mothers, wrapping their arms in a tight, strong embrace, followed by the others alicorns who joined in. The magic continued to spread, strings of heavenly lights surrounded the palace, levitating the debris and shards of glass, restoring them back into place.

The statues of Mako and Flash Sentry were wrapped in the energy, also restoring them. The two kings gasped, inspecting their bodies. Mako tugged on his shirt, while Flash flapped his wings to stretch them out. The two laughed joyously and embraced one another like the brothers they were.

"Dad!" Iris and Akari ran up to hug their respected fathers, followed by their wives. The couples kissed, pouring in all the love they had in their hearts. Time may have become a blur, but it felt as if they had been separated for years. Thankfully, their love was strong enough to overcome anything, including time. If anything, it only made it stronger.

The statues of the Mane Six sparkled and the remaining original Elements of Harmony all gasped and laughed at their freedom. Korra and Twilight turned to face them. They remembered how all five of them had jumped in to save the two.

Korra and Twilight ran towards them, the Avatar getting down on her knees and all seven were wrapped together. The hands of time seemed to turn backwards, and they had reverted back into those high spirited teenagers again.

That very same strong, powerful, unbreakable bond they felt when they all first met that day in the streets of Republic City was just as powerful now as it was then. No matter how many times they seemed to separate, their Friendship always found a way to bring them all back together again. This magic was what not only what brought them together, but also restored the light of their worlds, and inspired the next generation to carry on their legacy.

Speaking of legacies, the Mane Six each hurried to hug their respected apprentice, or in Rarity's case, who also happened to be her beloved stepdaughter. Nori teared up, hugging Rarity tightly, who practically cradled her as if she were a foal. But Nori didn't mind.

Chi and Rainbow Dash happily reunited, as did Mai with Applejack, Hiro with Pinkie Pie and Gallant Steed with Fluttershy.

The wave of magic spread even further across Canterlot. Beautiful curly designs that changed into bright colors formed on the surface of everything around, erasing all of the destruction caused by the Storm King's army.

The magic reached the statued Discord, restoring him back to his lovable, chaotic self. He shook his head and body like a wet dog the stretched his body, hearing a few bones popping.

"Oy! I am getting too old for this!"

The statue of Shinning Armor also reverted back to normal, and the magic restored the bending, spiritual energy and pony magic to everyone present. Bolin felt a billion times more energized, as did the airbenders, who all flipped and rose into the air with gusts of wind, while pegasus ponies flew up into the sky.

Unicorn sent fireworks into the air, and dragons soared overhead. Wan Shi Tong, Goldie and Aiwei's spider-scorpion friend all changed back to their normal grand size, and even Ali, Mika and San had returned to their fully grown adult forms. Spike lifted Mika up and spun her around before kissing her. Little dragon fly rabbit spirits flew overhead, as did all the spirits of every kind. The Storm King was defeated, the magic had returned, they were all free once again!

Korra, Twilight and the others all walked out alongside their respected husbands as they watched the miracle unfold before them. Upon seeing the royals and Elements of Harmony, both previous and present generations, the roars of applauds grew louder and wilder.

Bolin and Asami ran towards Mako and Korra, the four were enwrapped in one of their signature Team Avatar hugs. Ali, Mika and San flew downwards, hugging their little sister Iris, who was then knocked down by Akhlut, her dear orca-wolf who licked her face. Timber Spruce also ambushed Akari, while Spike hugged Twilight and Flash. Naga came running and knocked down all four adults to the ground, slobbering them all over. They only laughed, feeling like rambunctious teenagers again.

Rainbow Dash flew towards Soarin, literally knocking him back down to the ground, colliding her lips with his. Fire Fly landed on her mother's head and Rainbow Dash tossed her little daughter into the air, making her giggle. Rarity and Nori happily embraced Kombu, while Fluttershy galloped towards Thorax and her lovely children. Applejack was welcomed by Double Diamond, Sweet Gala and Half Pipe, as well as Big Mac, Apple Bloom and Sugar Belle.

Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich ran up to hug one another, with Cookie Cream in the middle. The party family laughed in perfect harmony. Gallant Steed galloped at top speed to reach his parents, and little Eclipse ran to hug his Aunty Chi. Nova and Sunset Shimmer teared up at seeing their wisp friend again.

Chrysalis flew towards Kuvira, spinning around once she was wrapped in her human companion's arms. "I missed you so much, Vira!"

"I missed you too, Chrisy. I'm so proud of you."

"Oh, there's someone I want you to meet." Chrysalis flew towards Capper, dragging him towards Kuvira. She never once let go of his arm. "Kuvira, this is Capper. Capper, this is Kuvira, my roommate."

Kuvira was a bit stunned to say the least. She had never met a tall talking cat in a red jacket before. Capper cleared his throat and bowed in respect. "Pleasure to meet you, Madam."

The metalbender smiled and bowed as well. "Likewise." she then whispered to her changeling friend, "Well, he is charming. For a feline." she said, making Chrysalis and Capper blush.

Celaeno was ambushed by her pirate crew, who gave a haughty laugh and Sky Star was reunited with Queen Novo. Rohan ruffled Iris's hair, while Meelo hugged her tightly, and Ikki and Jinora embraced her lovingly. Jinora and Kai's children ran up to hug her legs, and Iris kissed each of their heads.

Lin, Suyin, Kya, Bumi, Iroh, and Tenzin also joined in, hugging the alicorns, and Flurry Heart nearly crushed her father's bone with her tight hug. Discord wrapped himself around Fluttershy, Thorax and their kids, even Pharynx was tearing up to be reunited with his sister-in-law.

All around, folks was hugging, laughing and crying tears of joy to be reunited with their loved ones and to see their heroes alive and well. However, out of everyone, Tempest was the only one who didn't greet anyone.

"Little sis?"

A voice pierced through the crowd, reaching her ears. The one horned unicorn gasped and looked up. The line of people dispersed, giving way for a handsome older human male, wearing the official Harmony City Police Department uniform. His hair had been pulled into a short ponytail, and he had grown a small beard. His hair had lost its purple streaks yet the scar on his nose was still present. His warm brown eyes stared into Tempest's aquamarine ones.

Time seemed to move both too slowly and too fast as he walked towards her. Tempest's hooves were frozen in place, half hopeful and half frightened once the man stood right in front of her.

"Tadashi?"

The man got down on his knees and wrapped his arms around the unicorn, taking her completely off guard. Tempest let out a surprise gasp, one hoof hovering over his back, debating on whether or not to return the embrace. Tear ran down his eyes.

"It's really you!" Tadashi cupped her pony face, the same way he always did when she was young, not at all phased by her ugly broken horn. "I've searched everywhere for you."

"You… you did?" Tempest was completely baffled.

"Of course. After months I figured you didn't want to be found, and you were always good at hiding so, I hoped that, one day, you'd come back on your own. That's why I joined the police force, so I could still search for you." Tempest's lower lip quivered and pretty soon tears cascaded from her eyes too. "I always hoped you'd come back, little sis."

"Oh, Tadashi! I'm so sorry!" Tempest brawled, hanging her head low. "I was so foolish! You were right, there was nothing for me in that life, but I didn't want to believe you! If I had gone with you maybe I wouldn't be… like this!" she turned her head away, wishing she could cover up her broken horn with a blanket.

Tadashi wiped away her tears. "I'm sorry too. I'm sorry I made you feel betrayed."

"No. You didn't betray me. But, why did you keep trying to find me?"

"Because I love you. I always have, and I always will. I may have given up a life of crime, but I never gave up on you. If anything, your friendship was what made me realize the error of my ways. I didn't want you to face the consequences of my past mistakes."

"So, you choose this life… because of me?" Tempest was so confused, but also astonished. To think, Tadashi's own genuine love for this unicorn was the very thing that coaxed him to want to give her a better life than the one he previously had. Everything he did, he did it for her and not for himself. Akari was right, Friendship didn't fail Tempest after all.

"I said I would always be there for you and I meant it. What do you say?" Tadashi extended his hand to her. He was giving her the same offer he had given her all those years ago. The memory of that tragic night flashed before Tempest's eyes. She had rejected his hand before… not this time.

With a trembling hoof, she placed it over Tadashi's hand and smiled, tears of grief were now tears of joy and everyone erupted into applauds. Tempest couldn't believe it. They were cheering for her? After everything she had done to them, they were welcoming her into their massive, colorful family just like that?

A sensation she had never felt overwhelmed her, resulting in even more tears. This was different than the kind of celebrating she and her fellow triads once did. These cheers weren't ones of greedy ambition, but of genuine joy and welcoming embraces. She didn't think she deserved it, but just like with Akari and Iris, they didn't offer her friendship for any other reason than they simply wanted to.

How can something so small, so simple, so straight forward be so powerful? It would seem that Tempest still had much to learn when it came to Friendship. Thankfully, her old best friend was more than happy to help her through it.

Twilight approached the unicorn, ears dropping in regret. "Tempest, I am so sorry about your horn. If I had known what happened, I swear I would have done everything in my power to help restore it."

Tempest felt the regret in her throat again. Once again, the very pony she blamed for her own mistakes was offering her forgiveness and compassion. Every second since the Storm King's defeat was a constant clear evidence of just how messed up Tempest's original world view had been. If she had been that same teenager, she would have believed she was being brainwashed. But she saw first hand the consequences of her own actions.

Tempest bowed before the alicorn queen. "I'm the one who should be apologizing to you. Loosing my horn was no one's fault but my own. If I hadn't been so stubborn none of this would have happened."

"You know, alicorn magic took your horn… but I know it can bring it back."

Tempest's eyes widened. "You can do that?" she asked hopefully, but her hopes dropped when Twilight looked on in regret. Her eyes shimmering as if she herself would cry.

"I can restore it physically, yes. But your magic… there's no guarantee it will be the same as before."

Korra gently tapped the jagged edged of Tempest's horn, sending the soft sparks of magic. The Avatar frowned. "It's been so many years. Effects like this can become permanent if not treated quickly."

Tempest's ears lowered. Even if she got her horn back physically, her magic would probably either be the same as before, or remain as explosive as it was now. But, the question remained; Did she even want her old magic back now?

Something tugged inside of Tempest. Getting her magic back suddenly didn't seem worth it anymore, given the length she had gone into getting it. Akari walked up to Tempest, who caught sight of the small scar on her cheek. The little alicorn princess placed her hoof over Tempest's shoulder.

"You know, broken or not, your horn is pretty powerful. Just like the pony it belongs to."

Tempest's ears perked up. Nobody had ever complimented her broken horn before. It was true, her horn's magic did do things no other horn could do, but she thought it only brought destruction. Or, maybe that's just what she thought it did.

"She's not wrong." said Hozu, stepping forward. He had seen an example of Tempest's power first hand, and while deadly at times, was still an astonishing ability. "Your magic may not be like other unicorns anymore, but that doesn't make it a bad thing."

Capper nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Just because something's broken doesn't mean it should be thrown away." he smiled at Chrysalis, echoing her own words to lift up Tempest's spirits.

"You may have destroyed our ship, but that fire power in of itself was awesome!" Celaeno said, pounding her claw into the hair, as the other pirates cheered in agreement.

"And you managed to knock down the Storm King all on your own." Iris said, remembering how her own blast was able to knock the massive beast down.

"You even managed to use alchemy to modify the effects of those magic sucking stones." Chrysalis said. "I've never seen anypony do anything coming close to that."

The young changeling did make a good point. Even if she didn't have levitation, or the ability to create that shadow blanket for quick escaped, Tempest could still create things to some degree and her new magic was incredibly useful in a fight. Powers that, with the right kind of guidance, can in fact be used for good after all?

"We can't always control what happens to us, Tempest." Twilight said. "And some scars may physically never go away. They can both remind you of the bad just as they can remind you of the good." Twilight extend her leg, showcasing the burned mark that was left by Korra when she was trying to fight back the mercury poisoning all those years ago.

"I gained my scar by accident when Korra was trying to fight mercury poison. For a while, I saw it as a reminder of my failure to save her. But now, I see it as a reminder of how she overcame her own struggles to help me. She reminded me of what I was fighting for, just as I had once done for her."

"I was in a pretty dark place after I was poisoned." Korra said, smiling compassionately. "I thought getting injured meant I had failed as an Avatar. But, the experience helped me realize why I became a Princess of Friendship in the first place. Not only to help those who went through what I did, but so that others won't make the same mistake as my abuser did. Believe it or not, everyone's choice has a consequence, and by hurting others, you hurt yourself as well."

"I know first hand how true that can be." Zaheer said, stepping forward alongside P'Li. "Korra made me realize the error of my ways. I didn't deserve her forgiveness, but she offered it anyway."

P'Li nodded. "You're not the only one who's made mistakes, Tempest."

Starlight Glimmer, Sunset Shimmer, Nova Nightshade, Discord, Chrysalis and Kuvira all stepped forward. "We weren't so different from you, Tempest." Starlight said, then extended her hoof to Team Avatar Harmony. "And these guys helped us change for the better."

"I know change can be scary, and it hurts to admit when you're wrong." Sunset Shimmer said, "But it's never too late to start over."

"And if there is any group who can help with that, believe me, it's this family right here." Kuvira showcased everyone around them.

Humans, ponies, spirits and mythical creatures of all kinds, gathered together. Many dear friends, close family members, beloved animal companions, children, mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, grandfathers, grandmothers, aunts, uncles, cousins, brothers, sisters, husbands, wives, even adopted family members. People from all walks of life, and by accepting the Magic of Friendship they had all been brought together, and they spread that magic all across the world.

The Guardians managed to share that same magic with those even beyond the boarders of the land, and they had all returned to help them, even if they didn't have great power. Tempest no longer shed a tear, for there was no longer any need to cry. Her horn may be broken, her magic may no longer be as it once was, but if there was any family that was willing to help lift her back up and carry her burdens, then she was looking right at them. Maybe giving up her old life didn't mean she was weak minded, but instead, it meant she was strong enough to do so.

"I did tell you I wanted to show everybody in Equestria what I could do, right?" with a genuine smile, Tempest stepped forward, with everyone dispersing to give her room.

Her horn sparked with magic, but rather than it being lethal and scary, the energy looked serene and shinning like stars. Motivated by all the love surrounding her, Tempest unleashed a string of magic into the air, where it bursted and created the most dazzling display of fireworks Equestria had ever seen. The colors changed and shifted, striking one another in a display of sparkles. The sounds creating a rhythmic tune that made everyone cheer and clap their hands in sync. Tempest didn't even know she could make music with her magic. Maybe there was more she could do, when she wasn't fueled by anger or grief.

Tempest's eyes sparkled with joyful wonder at her own power. Her eyes darted to Akari, who smiled proudly. Tempest blushed, for she hadn't smiled like that in a long time, and she was still feeling pretty self cautious. Akari playfully nudged her leg and smiled even brighter. Tempest lost her timidness and smiled along, even wider than before.

"Nice touch, Tempest." Chrysalis said, admiring the bright colors, which looked like splashes of paint in the sky.

"Actually, that's not my real name." Tempest confessed, much to everyone's curiosity.

"Oh? What is it?"

"It's… It's Rosalyn Sweet Scent."

Chrysalis's eyes bulged open and her jaw literally dropped, leaving Nori to have to close it. The changeling shook her head, trying to get her senses back and once she did, there was no force that could remove the wide smile on her face.

"Okay! That is the most awesome name EVER!!" Chrysalis practically squeezed the life out of the unicorn. "Welcome to the family, Rosalyn!"

"Family?"

Tadashi face palmed himself. "Oh, right!" he then wrapped his right arm around the female metalbender. "You remember Kuvira, right?"

"The lady who tried to destroy the city with that siren machine thing?"

"Yeah. She's… my fiance."

Tempest--or rather, Rosalyn--couldn't help but smile at both the pleasant surprise, as well as the irony. Kuvira, the crazy lady who turned into a siren monster and was once an Earth Kingdom dictator, was marrying her best old friend. Then again, given Tadashi's own past, this couple made perfect sense.

Kuvira kneeled down, smiling at the unicorn. "I hope that's alright with you."

Rosalyn laughed. "Hey, if Tadashi's is going to marry anyone, might as well be someone who can keep up with him. Besides, I have a feeling we're going to get along just fine." Both Tadashi and Kuvira embraced Rosalyn along with Chrysalis.

"Welcome home, Rosalyn." Korra said, she and the rest of Team Avatar smiling warmly at the unicorn, once lost and who was now found, wrapped in the embrace of the family that never lost faith in her return. The unicorn who refused to be a part of this kingdom, was welcomed with opened arms and hooves.

"Hey! What's everyone celebrating about? This isn't over!"

A voice came from behind the royals, where a small little furry creature with a big voice came marching along. He was no bigger than a chihuahua, yet he carried himself as if he were larger than life. Aside from the lack of his armor and crown, there was no mistaking who it was.

"I am the mighty Storm King! You hear me?! This land is mine!"

Rather than be intimidated, all everyone did was star with dumbfounded expressions. "How is he not dead?" Capper said out loud.

The miniature Storm King marched towards Rosalyn, waving his arms in anger. "This is all your fault, Tempest! You and those meddling kids! I want my staff back! Now!"

"Aww! He's actually kind of cute when he's tiny and mad!" Nori said, gushing at the Storm King's new size. His hair had grown a bit, making him look even fluffier than before. The fur were so soft she could just brush it.

"I am not cute!" the Storm King shouted, while shouting and stomping his feet around like a whinny child. "I'm not! I'm not! I'm not! I'm not!"

"How did he get like this?" Iris asked.

"I think I know." Leilani said. "The Staff of Sacanas is capable of stealing magic as well as restoring things as they must be. I guess when it restored the Storm King, it shrunk him down to the size of the love in his heart. Which is… rather small, it seems."

"Ooh, that's so sad." Ivy said, placing a hoof over her heart. The Storm King only huffed while crossing his arms and sitting on the floor with a pout.

"So, what do we do with him now?" Flurry Heart asked.

Lin Beifong plucked him from the floor by his fur, where he struggled to break free from her grip. "I can think of a few things." he said in an ominous voice, which made even the little guy gulp in fear. "But, it's not my job." she turned to Korra and Mako, "Your Majesties."

The royal couple pondered for a moment and immediately, both had the same idea. Mako took the little creature from Lin's grip. "Hey, Discord!"

The chaotic spirit appeared before him, giving him a salute. "Yes, Chief Mako, sir!"

"I've got a mission for ya." Mako casually tossed the little creature to Discord, who caught him in his arms. "How's about you take little Stormy here under your wing."

Discord gasped, his eyes sparkling. "You mean it!?" When Mako and Korra both nodded, Discord leaped into the air, tossing little Stormy along with him. "Hooray! I very own former villain apprentice! Oh, we're going to have so much fun! We'll have slumber parties, play poker, have tea with Fluttershy and her family on Tuesdays, and I get to teach you everything I know about The Magic of Friendship!"

Discord squealed with glee, and Stormy tried to wiggle out of his grasp. "No! No! Nonononononono! Please! Put me in jail! Send me to manual labor! Anything!" he begged, but Discord ignored him, zapping some pony themed hats and placing them on both himself and Stormy, who he held close to his cheek to take a selfie with his geo-phone.

"Say, Brony!"

"Nooooooo!"

Rosalyn bowed before the eldest alicorn. "Lady Leilani, I believe there's an old friend of yours who would be more than happy to have his staff back."

Leilani smiled and nodded softly. "Indeed. I'll be sure to put in a good word for you."

Rainbow Dash tapped on Chi's shoulder. "So, anyone gonna explain who those pirate birds are?" she asked, pointing at Celaeno and her crew.

"And, is that a cat… in a jacket?" Rarity pointed her hoof at Capper, having never seen a creature like him before.

"Also, who's this guy?" Bolin asked, gesturing to Hozu, who had been standing close to Iris the entire time. He could already feel Mako's skeptical glare beating down on him.

"I believe you kids have quite the story to tell." Twilight said.

"We sure do, Mom." Akari said. She was then startled when Pinkie Pie popped up from nowhere.

"There'll be plenty of time for that! I think we've got more important matters to attend to." Pinkie then dawned a serious tone. "Cookie Cream Pie. Step forward."

The little filly's eyes widened as she did as she was asked. "Mom… do you mean it?"

Pinkie pulled out a party hat, shaped like a crown, and placed it upon her daughter's head as if it were a genuine royal crown. "It is your time now."

Cookie Cream's entire body started to vibrate and bounce rapidly in place before she bursted into the air, where confetti, balloons and candies came spewing out from behind her.

"It's time to…PARTY!!"

(~)

Rainbow

*(~)*

Psalm 30:11-12 ~

You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy,that I might sing praises to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!

*(~)*

Rainbow

Thank to the magic of the staff, Canterlot was restored it its original glory. All of the banners and posters the Storm King's army had left were torn off, and the people picked up the things they had lost in the rampage. The festival's stands and activities were restored, and everyone celebrated their victory by doing exactly what they came here to do.

Have fun!

During that time, Iris and the other Guardians managed to properly introduce their new friends to everyone. Korra was admittedly very surprised to discover Hozu's true origins, and Mako was still keeping his guard up when he took notice of how close he and his daughter had become. But, once he learned that Hozu was an orphan and everything he had been through, the firebending king loosened up a bit… emphasis on 'a bit'. Korra had to continuously nudge his arm just to get him to cool his jets.

Queen Novo got acquainted with Leilani. She had read about the hippogriffs and of their queen. The two leaders, along with Celestia and Luna spoke greatly about one another's kingdoms, and agreed to come together again in the future to further their new alliance.

As for Rosalyn, Rarity had designed her a stunning, shimmering blue gown that trailed elegantly behind her like a waterfall. The gown was partly transparent so her cutie mark was more visible. A beautiful rose with blue and green aroma strings swirling around it, adorned with sparkles. Her hair had been curled and fell gracefully down her back, sprinkled with tiny diamonds that sparkled like stars.

Twilight had earlier restored her horn back physically temporarily to test out if her old magic still worked. Rosalyn was saddened to realize that the effects were indeed permeant, but at the same time after witnessing what she could do, she realized she might be able to uncover even more incredible powers even with her broken horn.

Besides, even if her horn was broken, her heart was full at long last. She had transformed from a rouged criminal, a vengeful commander, and then finally into a stunning unicorn. Rosalyn could hardly recognize the pony she saw in the mirror, while at the same time feeling as if she had always known her after all. Everyone agreed that Rosalyn looked absolutely stunning, she blushed at every compliment. When she spotted Iris and Akari again, she bowed her head in gratitude.

Spike, wearing a pair of stylish shades, tapped on the microphone, and slid onto stage. "Ladies and gentlemen! Get ready for a little... Songbird Serenade!"

The singer pegasus spread out her wings as the spotlight shined above her. The entire audience cheered, clapping their hands and stomping their hooves.

"And now, to celebrate the fact that we're all still here in one piece. Give it up for The Guardians of Harmony!"

The same spotlight landed on Iris, Akari and the rest of their friends, which included Celaeno, Sky Star, Novo, Capper, Hozu and yes, even Rosalyn herself. Each of the Guardians wore their best party cloths, with Iris and Akari once again wearing their respected tiaras. Lu Ten had his arm wrapped around Mai's shoulder, and Capper even had his arm wrapped around Chrysalis who flapped her wings, hovering beside him.

"All right! Way to go, guys!" Tahno's nephew Akio cheered from the audience, and Bulk Biceps let out his signature "Yeah!" cry. Photo Finish's camera flashed like crazy, getting great pictures of the heroes. Spirits soared overhead, including Ali, Mika and San, all of which smiled proudly at their little sister before landing beside their adopted parents.

Akari had her hair ruffled by Iris, who then hugged her. Their Friendship Festival may have gone off to a rocky start, but it ended with a bang!

Korra, The Mane Six, Mako, Flash, Bolin, Asami, Starlight, Nova, Sunset, Tenzin and his family and Lin and her family, as well as President Iroh all bowed in respect to the Guardians, accompanied by the royal alicorns and even Discord. The children all bowed in return. All three generations of Team Avatar together once again in celebration of another victory against the forces of evil. And no doubt, there would be even more generations to come, and even more events such as this. But, for now, they would enjoy this moment right here.

"This song is dedicated to my beloved mentor, Rara." Songbird said, pointing her hoof to the older earth pony singer, who beamed with pride. "If it hadn't been for her, I wouldn't be the pony standing before you today. I didn't always understand friendship, but she never gave up on me, even when I had given up on myself. I love you, Rara. Thank you for being my friend and for showing me the light."

Rara shed tears of joy, which were wiped by her dear old friend Applejack. The lights of the stage dimmed and Songbird Serenade sang the song from her heart.

I know you, you're a special one

Some see crazy where I see love

You fall so low but shoot so high

Big dreamers shoot for open sky

As the heroes, both previous and current listened to the lyrics, they couldn't help but relate to the words. Korra and the Mane Six all shared loving smiles, recalling the day they all first met. To everyone else, Korra was a wild, reckless Avatar (and she was), while the ponies were just these bizarre alien creatures. But, to each other, they were so much more than what the world perceived them as. They saw love in each other's eyes, and their friendship changed them for the better.

Mako and Bolin, two brothers with nothing had found happiness not only with each other, but with their new friends and two amazing woman who loved them for who they were. Complete with all of their imperfections. And Asami, a girl who had so much and lost a lot when her father betrayed her, found a new life with these amazing friends who never turned their backs on her. Even when she turned into an evil nightmare creature.

They were never flawless, but a work in progress. They all had dents, they all had quicks. But, it was their flaws that made them work.

So much life in those open eyes

So much depth, you look for the light

But when your wounds open, you will cry

You'll cry out now and you'll question why

Among the audience, Celaeno and Chi fist pumped, Sky Star and Novo happily ate cupcakes made by Pinkie Pie while more of their fellow hippogriffs arrived to join in the fun. Rarity had done as Nori had asked her, and designed a new cape for Capper, with a hat to match. The cat wore his new outfit with pride, and grateful for the unicorn's generosity. Rarity had a feeling he was going to be her new favorite client.

Capper bowed like a gentleman to Chrysalis, extending his paw asking for a dance. But Chrysalis had another idea. She grabbed Capper by the collar, dipped him while she was still in mid air, and kissed him full on the lips. His hairs stood on end and his body froze even after she had finished. Once he got back to his senses, Capper leaped for joy, letting out an ecstatic, "Meow!"

Chrysalis giggled and the two remained side by side, while Rarity and Kombu blinked in surprise. Nori squealed with delight while jumping up and down.

"I totally ship them!"

The backup dance ponies jumped onto stage, and a massive cake with flashing heart shaped lights rose up from the stage, where Songbird continued to sing. Mai and Lu Ten high fived one another, proud at their handy work. Judging by the reaction of the crowd, they had outdone themselves yet again.

Changelings flew upwards with strings of various colors, swarming around in elegant dance like movements, creating a rainbow effect.

I can see a rainbow

In your tears as they fall on down

I can see your soul grow

Through the pain as they hit the ground

I can see a rainbow

In your tears as the sun comes out

As the sun comes out

Songbird roared into the sky, a trail of multicolored sparkles followed, and flew over the audience. She hovered above Iris and Akari. Even while she sang, she was thanking them for not only freeing herself and everyone, but also for alowing Songbird to be a part of this beautiful event.

At that moment, Akari knew that her mother was right. She never needed the alicorn's magic to make this concert a memorable one. She already had all the magic she needed. And they were all standing right beside her. Gallant Steed wrapped his hoof around her, kissing her cheek, right above her new little scar.

Iris watched with a smile as Songbird flew overhead, but her smile quickly faded when she spotted Hozu in the far back, away from the crowd. He had exchanged his old rags for cleaner, newer cloths. A gray black shirt underneath a blue and white jacket and blue jeans. He was still barefoot, since the shoes they gave him pinched his feet.

Iris didn't even see him disappear, but then again she shouldn't be too surprised at that. She felt Akari nudge her leg and encouragingly nodded her head in Hozu's direction. Iris didn't waste a second and flew up, landing right behind Hozu. The two were alone, away from the crowd. The instrumental music continued playing on.

"That's one thing that never changes around here. The party." Hozu said. Despite having his back turned, Iris knew he was smiling. "Not that I'm complaining. At least you guys always find a reason to celebrate." At last, he finally turned to face Iris. His caramel colored eyes sparkling in such a way it made Iris's cheeks burn and her heart leap. Even with his messy white hair he looked so handsome in the multi colored lights of the festival.

"Mai told me what you did back there." Iris said, earning a slightly startled look from Hozu. "I didn't get the chance to say thank you, but honestly, I don't feel those words alone are enough for what you did."

Hozu scoffed. "All I did was make one twister, no big deal."

"You also saved Captain Celaeno, and came back even after what happened." Iris walked closer, and Hozu felt his hands tremble nervously once she was standing a few feet in front of him. "I told you your powers could do great things."

Hozu's blushed, unable to tear his eyes away from Iris's. "I think I'm the one who should be thanking you. I didn't think anyone else could have ever believed in me like you did. And proved me wrong about the whole "Friendship not being for everybody" thing."

"I'm sorry, come again?" Iris cupped her left ear, smiling smugly, "I don't believe I caught that."

Hozu laughed. "Nice try, Teacup."

"Well, I hope this means you'll stick around. More friends are definitely merrier."

Hozu traced his hands through his hair. "I apreciate your parents finding me a place at Air Temple Island and all but… my powers… I'm still not sure if--"

"Hey, don't worry about it. You've got plenty of people who would be more than happy to help you. My friend Rohan can teach you meditation, and my mom and Aunt Twilight are masters at magic. Not to mention Nova's taught me everything he knows so he's--"

Iris had nearly forgotten what she was saying when Hozu reached out to take her hand. Her heart pounded hard against her chest. The blush on her face matching Hozu's.

"I choose you."

She heard him say those words before. Only, they ended with 'me' instead of 'you'. She was about to ask if he meant it as in he wanted Iris to be the one to teach him, or maybe… something else?

Rather than ask, she leaned in further at the same time he did just like back on Celaeno's airship. Once their lips met, a wave of electricity coursed through them.

Literally. Actual sparks of lightning manifested around them, forcing them to cut the kiss short. A small little energy ball of blue and purple formed in front of them before spiraling into the air where it exploded. A single firework above the crowd expanded followed by… snow!

White, sparkly snow fell all around everyone. They thought it was part of the show, but it didn't take long for the Guardians to figure out who's handy work this was. Hozu and Iris looked up in wonder at the dancing, shimmering white flakes, which inspired Rosalyn to create more fireworks in the sky, which reflected off the surface of the snowflakes, making it look like it was raining rainbows. The two still held hands, admiring the effects of the magic.

I can see a rainbow

In your tears as they fall on down

I can see your soul grow

Through the pain as they hit the ground

Korra extended her hand, allowing one of the sparkly snowflakes land gracefully in her palm. "Mmm… interesting."

"Hey, hey, don't get too excited!" Mako said, "I'm gonna be watching that boy like an eagle-hawk."

Korra only rolled her eyes and too him by surprise by grabbing Mako by the collar, dipping him. "You may be my husband, but you're still an idiot." she teased.

"Both are true." Mako teased back, and the two shared a passionate kiss, reminiscent to when they were teenagers. Seeing her example, each member of the Mane Six took their respected husbands, dipped them and kissed them full on the lips. Asami did the same to Bolin, as did Starlight to Sunburst, and Sunset to Nova. Even Akari did the same to Gallant Steed, and Mai to Lu Ten. Chi received a kiss on the cheek from Eclipse, while Chrysalis and Capper hugged romantically.

Hiro sighed sadly. "Hiro Sato, party of one." he said… only to receive a kiss on the cheek by, surprise, surprise, Juniper Moon.

"Don't get too excited. That was just a pity kiss." Juniper said, despite the blush on her cheek, which Hiro took notice of. She wasn't fooling anyone.

"I'll take it!"

Nori received a tap on the shoulder, and a handsome dark blue colored hippogriff landed beside her alongside more of the hippogriffs who came to the party. He was almost as tall as Sky Star, but had handsome brown eyes and light blue feathers. He scratched the back of his neck shyly. He was the same male hippogriff Nori had sang with during the "One small thing" musical number alongside his friends.

"H-Hey, Nori. Would you like to dance?"

"I would love to, Stefan." Nori said, taking his claw. Rarity and Kombu looked at her in surprise, mainly at discovering that their daughter had managed to make another friend of her own. And an aviary one no less.

"He's in a band!" Nori whispered excitedly to her parents before she left to dance with Stefan. Kombu signed with his tail, "Well, that explains it." Rarity only giggled and nuzzled her husband.

Rainbow Dash proudly ruffled Akari and Iris's hair, "Awesome! I knew you kids could do it. And now, for the finishing touch!" The pegasus took to the skies, and the audience down bellow chanted.

"Rainboom! Rainboom! Rainboom! Rainboom!"

Little Fire Fly flapped her wings excitedly and, before her father could grab her, the little filly took to the skies at top speed alongside her mother. Rainbow Dash was surprised to see Fire Fly actually keep up with her, but she had already begun her attempt to make the Sonic Rainboom, and Fire Fly was wearing that look of determination that matched her mother's.

The two broke through the sound barrier at the same time, creating for the first time ever… A Double Rainboom!

I can see a rainbow

In your tears as they fall on down

I can see your soul grow

Through the pain as they hit the ground

I can see a rainbow

In your tears as the sun comes out

As the sun comes out

Everyone roared with exhilaration as the two ponies flew around, the rainbow stream behind them. However, Fire Fly's rainbow had traces of dancing flames around its outlines, and the colors were more soft and from the blue and green color wheel, with traces of turquoise, aquamarine, cyan and cerulean. Not only that, but her rainbow had more of a borealis effect compared to Rainbow Dash's.

Once the two landed, Soarin ran up to hug them both, and the Mane Six tackled their speedy friend, laughing joyously. But their laughter was cut short when Rainbow Dash gasped and tears started to form in her eyes.

Little Fire Fly's flank sparkled and a stunning borealis-rainbow shaped cutie mark manifested. The little filly flipped in mid air. "Mommy! Daddy! I got my cutie mark!"

Rainbow Dash's eyes swelled up with tears she could hardly see the lights of the concert. Little Fire Fly had found her destiny, and it happened right before Rainbow's very eyes.

"That's my girl!" Rainbow showered the filly with kisses while being held by her husband, who was brawling like a baby. Rainbow didn't mind. It would seem every moment there was something new to celebrate.

I am here and I see your pain

Through the storms, through the clouds, the rain

I'm telling you you can not escape

You can do it, just feel, baby

While everyone else was celebrating, little Stormy sat on a table, arms folded, looking all grouchy. He was the fearsome Storm King! The master of the elements, and now he was a tiny little nobody. Aven his former storm creatures were dancing and singing along with everyone. His own army had turned on him without remorse. This was humiliating.

The smell of something sweet and mouth watering reached his nose and, to his surprise, Sweet Gala and Half Pipe handed him two plates filled with all sorts of mouth watering apple themed candy treats. Stormy looked at them skeptically, but the two ponies only smiled.

Why were they being so nice to him? Was this something these people did? Be nice to mean people? What sense did that make? What did being nice bring? After all… nobody had ever been nice to him before.

Stormy sniffed an apple tart and once he took a bite his taste buds tap-danced on his tongue. Discord smiled at Stormy and ruffled his white hair. The Apple Twins happily shared their treats with him. Maybe this Friendship stuff wouldn't be so bad after all.

I can see a rainbow

In your tears as they fall on down

I can see your soul grow

Through the pain as they hit the ground

Sky Star and Novo soared across the sky with the pegasus ponies and spirits, giving rides to the airbender children. Tenzin and his family, despite their old age, all played in the bounce house. Even Lin, of all people, was laughing like she was a little kid again.

The pirates drank Applejack's Apple Cider (and Asami and Rainbow snuck a few extra cups while no one was looking), and Grubber was introduced to something he never knew he'd ever eat… vegetables and fruit!

After his talk with River, Grubber decided to have a bit more confidence in himself, and not try and eat his problems away with junk food. But, even if he decided to eat and treat himself better, Rosalyn handed him a little cupcake with his name written in frosting. Her way of apologizing for being so harsh to him before.

Grubber teared up and hugged his former commander. But, Rosalyn didn't want him to call her his boss anymore… rather, to call her his friend.

I can see a rainbow

In your tears as they fall on down

I can see your soul grow

Through the pain as they hit the ground

In your tears as the sun comes out

As the sun comes out

Akari laughed as she and her friends danced to the music. Twilight and Flash approached her, wrapping their hooves around their daughter. "See? I told you you didn't need our magic to make this concert great." Twilight said with a wink.

"And on top of that, you managed to bring the hippogriffs back from hiding!" Flash said. "We're really proud of you, sweetie."

Akari's eyes darted to the ground for a moment. "Actually, Dad, I've been thinking a lot about that." she said, dawning a more serious yet hopeful tone. The rest of her friends gathered behind her, as did their parents behind Twilight and Flash.

"I've been talking with Capper, Celaeno, Rosalyn and Novo and, from what I've gathered, Equestria was only the latest in many of the cities the Storm King had conquered. Sure, without his power he can't hurt them anymore, but that doesn't mean those people aren't still suffering. Capper hasn't seen his home town for who knows how long."

"So, what do you suggest?" Twilight asked, speaking as if she had a hunch on what would come next.

"I've talked it over with the others and, with your permission, we would like visit those other places the Storm King invaded. There is a whole other world beyond Equestria that needs help, I see that now. Plus, I know I'm still inexperienced with the whole diplomacy stuff, and I believe this can be good practice for me. While, at the same time, doing what I'm best at."

Akari expected her mother to say something along the lines of it either being too dangerous, that she still didn't have much experience, but Twilight said none of those things. Instead, the Friendship Queen lifted her daughter's chin up with her hoof.

"Akari… You don't have to ask for permission. You've more than proven yourself."

"Even after I tried to steal the pearl from Queen Novo?"

Twilight shrugged, "Eh, not the first time any one of us did anything stupid." she said, turning her head to the rest of her friends, who all laughed in good humor. She wasn't wrong, one way or another, they all made stupid mistakes.

"Making mistakes is all part of growing up, Akari." Twilight continued, "No doubt there is still a lot more for you to learn, and I can't think of a better way than you and your friends fulfilling your promise to spread the Magic of Friendship. Even if it takes you beyond Equestria. We support your decision."

The rest of the parents all nodded in agreement. "We'll even supply you with an airship." Asami said, earning a hug from her son and daughter. Each of the kids were wrapped in their family's tight embrace, also welcoming the friends they have made along their journey. Songbird Serenade landed beside Rara, and the two ponies embraced.

Akari hugged both her parents. "I love you Mom and Dad."

"We love you too, sweetheart."

Here comes the sun smiling down

Smiling down

"Hey, Chi." Sunset Shimmer tapped the wisp's leg, getting her attention. "We have something for you too." with her magic, she levitated a bag, in which contained all the books Sunset Shimmer had written, documenting their family's history, starting from when Korra and the Ponies first met. There were even some empty books in there, along with a quill and ink.

"I don't understand." Chi said.

"With Eclipse, and our jobs, I'm not sure if I'll be able to have as much free time to write as I used to. So, Nova and I decided that if there was anyone we trusted to document the true story of our family… it should be you."

Chi clapped her hands over her heart, gripping the bag close. Her body started to glow bright like a star. They were actually bestowing upon her the responsibility of personally documenting the stories of Team Avatar Harmony. And, given her long lifespan, no doubt she would get the chance to write more and more in the future, and maybe one day she can pass down this responsibility to her children, and so on and so forth. She would always have her friends and family close no matter what.

"I… I would be honored. I promise, I won't let you guys down."

"We know you won't." Nova said. "You never will."

Chi wrapped her arms around her pony family, each of them shedding tears of joy. Chi made a solemn vow that she would see to it that their stories lived on for years to come, and for new generations to learn from. Looking all around, and seeing so many characters each with their own stories to tell, and so many new worlds to see, she couldn't wait to write it all down.

I can see a rainbow

In your tears as they fall on down

I can see your soul grow

Through the pain as they hit the ground

I can see a rainbow

In your tears as the sun comes out

As the sun comes out

Twilight and Korra smiled happily at seeing their respected daughters celebrated with their friends. "So, another happy ending?" Korra asked.

"In our line of work, there are no happy endings… only new beginnings."

"I couldn't agree more."

Korra's heart filled up with so much positive emotion as she watched the happiness surrounding her. It had been a pretty rough ride, but even after the storm, came the sunshine. She, Iris and all Avatars after them swore this was the message they would continue to pass on to future generations. That one could truly find Light in the dark so long as they believed in the Magic of Friendship.

Korra smiled widely as she and Twilight held each other close. Two souls who were brought together by fate, became friends and restored the light and hope of to their realms. Friends who brought out the best in each other, overcame all obstacles and were now standing side by side once again. No doubt their story would be over one day, but that future no longer frightened them as it once did. Looking at their own children, they knew without a shadow of a doubt that they had done their work well. Their story had led them to this moment, and now all they could do was watch contently as a new Legend unfolded. And while times may change, people will come and go, one thing will always remain the same.

That Friendship would now and forever be more powerful than any magic.

As Korra and Twilight looked up into the night sky, the shimmering effects of the Double Rainboom remained arched overhead and the Raava butterfly flew above them, as Team Avatar, all generations looked on.

Much like the sight, the future, no doubt, would be beautiful.

I can see a rainbow

In your tears as they fall on down

I can see your soul grow

Through the pain as they hit the ground

I can see a rainbow

In your tears as the sun comes out

As the sun comes out

*(~)*

Genesis 9:13 ~

I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.

*(~)*

The final chapter

*(~)*

Revelation 21:6 ~

And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega - the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life."

*(~)*

The Final Chapter

Leilani's long mane flowed in constant moment as she walked along the long lines of stained glass windows. Each one depicting a moment in their history of great importance. Each one was more beautiful than the last, but one in particular would always be her favorite. It was, by far, the eldest of them all, but it's shine and coloring remained as vibrant and illuminatingly serene as it was on the day it was made. And that was so many, many, many years ago.

The sounds of children laughing made her ears perk upwards. From the window in the Castle courtyard, she saw her grandchildren playing along with their friends, descendants of the heroes she had met long ago, and have watched grow and learn, as well as gain families and have children of their own. In all that time, her two daughters eventually found love and gifted Leilani with grandchildren for the first time. The next generation of Guardians sat before a much older Chi, alongside her husband, a anthropomorphic wolf spirit who stood upright named Nadare. They shared with the kids stories of Chi's friends, and their children, and grandchildren.

The colors of her mane were growing more white, her movements slower bit by bit, and hints of wrinkles could be found under her eyes. Never the less, nobody denied that the eldest Alicorn in existence was still just as beautiful as she had always been. But, even though she and her children had long life spans, they weren't meant to last forever. She knew her time would come, when exactly, she didn't know. It could still take several more years, she would still get to see her grandchildren become adults. But, there was no denying that at some point, all things must end.

Thankfully, this reality didn't damper her spirits at all. While there are plenty of things that will come and go, some things were eternal. Of this she knew better than anyone.

She made her way to her favorite place in the entire castle. A door depicting a carved image of the Tree of Harmony opened, allowing her access into the extended library. Each line was a seemingly endless line of books, each one with the same tittle, but with a different story to tell. What they had in common was that they were all linked to the same beginning. These were more than just stories that entertained children and families. These were real historical events that shaped the very fabric of their world. And Leilani had been there to see each and every one of them.

Using her magic, she levitated the very first book of the first row. Flipping through the images, she browsed through the beautifully detailed illustrations. She knew all the words within the pages, so she didn't need to read them again. All she wanted was to see her old friends again. Their stories had come and gone long ago, and not a day went by that she didn't think of them, or saw them in the eyes of their descendants. Never the less, she couldn't feel saddened by this even if she tried. In her heart, they were never gone. They would always be with her, and one day, she knew she would see them again. One day.

The hands of time spun backwards, and she could hear their voices. See the sparkle in their eyes, and feel the warmth of their hugs as she went through the images one by one. Her heart so full of love and hope that content tears cascaded from her eyes.

For everyday I look around me

For every time I see you near

I thank the stars, who's light surrounds me

I thank the earth that keeps you hear

'Cause I will only follow my true heart

And I can see it clear now

Right from the start, you were

My Little Pony Legend

I used to wonder what Friendship could be

My Little Pony Legend

Until you all shared its magic with me

You saw the change that we all needed

You saw how could that we could be

Won't ever let little things come between us

Now that we've found this destiny

And we can stand up tall now to any hate

Cause best friends stick together

We love and tolerate

My Little Pony Legend

I used to wonder what Friendship could be

My Little Pony Legend

Until you all shared it's magic with me

If one falls down

We all come around

And you're soaring

To be anything, anything that you want to be

Yeah!

My Little Pony Legend

I used to wonder what Friendship could be

My Little Pony Legend

Until you all shared it's magic with me

My Little Pony Legend

I used to wonder what Friendship could be

Leilani galloped onto the top of the hilltop, overlooking the ever growing land of Equestria and her dear old friend Raava landed on her horn. The sun sat down on the horizon, and the stars came out. Each one shimmering in the same colors that matched the bright flowers around her hooves, each one corresponding with the color scheme of friends, old and new. Her time would come to an end soon, but she wasn't afraid. She knew her descendants and the descendants of her friends would continue to grow and expand, and the library would continue to collect more stories.

No words could ever fully convey just how thankful she was for everything she had experienced in her life. The friends she had made, the scars she had earned, the lessons she shared, they were all a part of who she was. Of who they all were. There really was no end to the possibilities the future held, but one thing was certain. None of this wouldn't have been possible had it not been by one small little thing…

The unconditional friendship between a human and a pony, who showed the entire world that with the Magic of Friendship, all things were possible.

I used to wonder what Friendship could be

My Little Pony Legend

Until you all shared it's magic with me

*(~)*

Ephesians 1: 1-10~

You were dead through the faults and sins. Once you lived through them according to this world and followed the Sovereign ruler who reigns between heaven and earth and who goes on working in those who resist faith.

All of us belonged to them at one point and we followed human greed; we obeyed the urges of our human nature and consented to its desires. By ourselves, we went straight to the judgment like the rest of human kind.

But God, who is rich in mercy, revealed his immense love. As we were dead through our sins, He gave us life with Christ. By grace you have been saved! And he raised us to life with Christ, giving us a place with Him in heaven.

In showing us such kindness in Christ Jesus, God willed to reveal and unfold in the coming ages the extraordinary riches of His grace. By the grace of God you have been saved through faith, This has not come from you: it is God's gift. This was not the result of your works, so you are not to feel proud.

What we are is God's work. He has created us in Christ Jesus for the good works he has prepared that we should devote ourselves to them.

*(~)*

………….

The Little Pony Legend

by MaggiesHeartLove

April 2013- December 2017

God bless, *kiss, kiss*

Final Letter

I've been thinking long and hard on how I was going to write this. So many times I would rehears it in my head, and a lot of times it just got tangled up in a huge mess. I realized I was trying to inset FIVE YEARS worth of ideas, explanations, apologies, thank yours and everything into one letter. But, I also realized a lot of these were more personal than anything, so rather than leave them out in the open, I'm going to focus more on why I'm retiring from anymore Little Pony Legend Projects, Why it's become precious to me and how it all started.

I think I can't start with how it began without explaining more about the two shows this saga focuses on. And that's My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and The Legend of Korra. There is no hiding my love for MLP. From the very first time I saw "Dragon Shy", I was hooked. Legend of Korra was a show I eagerly awaited ever since I first heard about it and I will admit that book 1 was my favorite season overall, alongside book 3 and the second half of season 2. (Not gonna lie, season 2 was a mess!)

In full honesty, I wasn't aware that I was making a "Fix Fic" at the time. I just saw myself playing around with the idea of the two shows meeting, and with the interactions between characters. I didn't have wireless internet until my second year of college so throughout my life I had a telephone line that I used to connect to the internet. It was so slow I had to wait TWO HOURS for a YouTube video to upload. I wasn't active on social media until I moved to my grandmothers and THEN I had the wireless internet… in 2013. Needless to say, I was way more naive about the internet world and fandoms back then.

Over time, I just grew to love the idea of the two shows combining. There was so much to chew on and since it was a personal project to begin with I focused more on what I wanted to see and how I wanted things to work out. The first chapters of the story were in script format (Yeah, I know), but thanks to the support and generosity of my best friend Atea1793, I started writing the story more like, well, a story. I got inspiration from my favorite books and references wherever I could.

It was during my early stages, so please forgive me for the naive and at times REALLY stupid mistakes I had made at the time. I was still new and learning as I went, thankfully Atea helped me through it.

In fact, a mayor part of the Legend's story is because of her. She contacted me via YouTube and suggested Avatar Wan being accompanied by somebody from Equestria, like maybe the leaders of the four tribes or Celestia and Luna's parents and a connection to the Tree of Harmony. That's how White and Leilani and the AU version of the origins of the Tree and Elements of Harmony came to being! Yes, book 2's history of how the two worlds were connected wouldn't have been possible if not for her. Words can't express how much I still treasure our friendship, Atea. All the fun moments, laughs and tears we shared will forever hold a special place in my heart. It's why I ended the saga with Leilani in the forefront.

In honor of you.

From then on, Atea and I worked on the story as the episodes kept coming in, working around certain things in cannon to make the pieces fit, and leaving a HUGE gaping hole open in between "The Great Change" and "Balance of the Heart" to insert season 5 of MLP (A Kingdom of Friendship). I'm still surprised so many ideas managed to remain and fit into the story.

The experience I had in making this fanfic, meeting Atea and all of you guys has made me realize I wanted to try out writing. It became a way for me to self reflect on myself. I wanted to get better, and I wanted to continue making stories. RE-writing an already existing material simply for fun and to share with friends, old and new, was a nice way to practice.

I know I wasn't the perfect writer, and yes I made a ton of mistakes, some of which I still cringe upon looking back or want to slap myself in the face for it, but I'm glad I was able to learn from them as well.

It's funny, I did always intend for LPL to have positive, heartwarming messages, inspired by my Christian faith (out of all the things that don't make sense to me in this world, Jesus was always the one thing that ever did.), but I never knew that this saga had, unexpectedly, transformed into my own personal allegory.

It was during season 3 of Korra, if I'm not mistaken, where I discovered Shady Oak Ministries. A YouTube Brony Bible study, using illustrations from MLP and other form of media to explain the Gospel. Animation is used as a tool to explain scripture and opened my eyes to things I never even knew before. Now I know why I was so drawn to MLP to begin with.

No, LPL did not start out as the tried and true Christian inspired crossover it is today, at least not as completely. Yes, I did intend for it to have Christian based morals, but I learned over time it takes a lot more than pretty words to make a good Christian message. Looking at the story now, so many moments and events have taken on an entirely new meaning than they did when I first started.

LPL started out as something small. Something I never imagined would go farther than a script document on my computer. And now, five years later, it became that "One Small Thing" that inspired me to try writing, make new friends, learn and grow, and exercise the lessons I learned from scripture. Of course, I still have A LOT more to learn.

That's why the Little Pony Legend means so much to me. What started out as just some fun idea to past the time had grown into a five to six year long project, and through it I met so many beautiful, amazing people who inspired me to continue doing this. You guys are all so incredibly amazing, I really don't know how in the world someone like me was lucky enough to meet all of you.

I also included Chi and Nadare into the finale as a shout out to my friends, blueblur and Ginga, because if not for them, the Guardians of Harmony wouldn't even exist! You two are the coolest dudes I've ever met!

I'm not perfect. FAR from it. I'm still short-tempered, impatient, sometimes impulsive and my emotions tend to flare and I do succumb to sadness every once in a while, and yes I can even be lazy and scatterbrained and oblivious at times. I'm not perfect, none of us are. But, you know who else wasn't perfect?…. Korra and Twilight, and look where they are now. ;)

Friendship(Jesus's Love) never failed them, even when times got really tough… so it won't fail you either. Remember, my entire island took a massive blow from Hurricane Maria, but I found traces of Hope even in the smallest of places.

Which leads me to my final conclusion. Why am I retiring from the series? Well, just as Korra and the Mane Six aren't the same teenagers they were back in book 1, I'm not the same college girl anymore. I'm not drastically different, but after graduation, and moving to Florida for a while, experiencing life on my own, and growing more and more interested in story writing, I realized it was high time for me to be more independent on and put my experiences to the test to focus more on my original projects.

Yes, I know I've said this before. "This is the last chapter!" No, "This is the last chapter!" That's because I was trying to force myself into something my heart wasn't ready for just yet. I will always love this saga and I will always look back on it, and visit the old chapters and update them whenever I feel I have some time to just relax and rekindle all those memories to begin with and talk about it with my friends. The nostalgia no doubt will inspire my future projects, I'm sure of it. But, to make another epic story, and another, and another about the exact same thing… I just don't have the same energy as I once did.

I'm not retiring from writing fanfiction as a whole, I'll still make one here and there, but it just won't be a massive part of my life anymore. I've spent years playing with characters I adore but I know they can never truly be mine. I want to create babies of my own.

Writing this final chapter was a serious tearjerker. I couldn't type two words without crying. There might not be anymore new stories of LPL, at least not from me, I've got a couple of good friends who I've allowed permission to write in between stories. But, that doesn't mean the saga is dead. At least, for me it never will be.

Nothing stays the same for long, but when it changes doesn't mean it's gone. Things may come and things may go. Some go fast and some go slow. Few things last, that's all I know. But Friendship, carries on through the ages.

Words can not express how thankful I am to all of you for joining me on this fun ride. The story may have been about Korra, Twilight and their friends, but you guys are every bit a part of their story as much as I was.

You all became a part of the legend too…. The Little Pony Legend.

I love you guys. God bless, *kiss, kiss*

Prologue

(~)

A small fly flew near her ear, despite the hood that covered the majority of her face, save for her chin and mouth. She twitched her ear a few times, showing the insect away. The bartender poured the purple liquid into her cup. The calming music coming from the radio merged with the tipping of silverware and the many murmurs of small talk amongst the costumers. The next song had a soothing, jazz-like vibe it managed to calm her nerves.

The bartender stared at her, noticing the dark plum colored skin tone. He hadn't noticed she was a pony, currently in anthro form. In any normal night he would have boldly conversed with a mysterious stranger such as herself. Judging by her ragged cloak and disinterested demeanor as she swallowed the entire liquid in one gulp and slammed it on the table, this character gave off a "troubled traveler" kind of vibe.

He cleaned the inside of another cup and prepared to refill hers and speak with her until the radio scratched, abruptly stopping the music. A voice she had heard countless times in the past filled the bar. All eyes and ears gathered at the radio, all but the cloaked pony who kept her gaze on her still empty cup.

"We just received word from Harmony City! Everybody is abuzz about the story of the century! We have a new Avatar!"

The cloaked pony flinched, her fingers curled on the surface of the sleek mahogany table. Her jaw clenched as she continued to listen.

"The still living Queen Avatar Korra's daughter, Princess Iris has been revealed to be this new era's Avatar! We now have two Avatars coexisting at the same time! As a result, Princess Iris and her companions have been revealed to be the next generation of the Elements of Harmony! We recently had word with Queen Korra and King Mako themselves, and they've said that the children will train under the original Element's wings as their apprentices! A new Avatar cycle has begun, and the future of the three worlds looks like a bright one! In other news--"

Guests jumped from their seats, while others fell right off, dropping their cups and spilling their drinks all over the floor, their cloths and on their food. A flash of intense blue lightning came shooting out of the pony's hand, blasting the radio into a million pieces. As her hand lowered they could see small sparks of blue magic coming from the shadow of her hood right above her forehead.

She was a unicorn, but her horn was unlike anything they had ever seen. The bartender, who had been hiding under the table when the blast happened, poked his head out, seeing his costumers staring in horror at the cloaked figure.

"Hey! You're gonna have to pay for that!" he shouted. It didn't matter if she had troubles or not, if anyone disrupted the peace of his fine establishment, he would bring his foot down.

The cloaked figure lifted her head slightly, revealing a pair of cloudy aquamarine eyes. The shadow of a scar ran across her right eye. She lifted her hand up once more, and the small bits of magic sparked again on her forehead, which matched the glowing beam of deadly electricity that danced on the surface of her fingertips, about to strike him. The man ducked under his table, trembling like a frightened kitchen mouse.

The unicorn swiped her now filled cup from the table, keeping her hand--still engulfed in light--aimed at the bartender. "I'll be taking this to go. And if anyone asks… I was never here."

Her voice was low and smooth. She spoke with incontrovertible grace and confidence. But it also carried a deadly essence that ran a chill up the spine of all who heard her. As she marched her way towards the door, the clopping sound of her boots filled the room, merged with the guest's low breathing. As she made her way out, from the corner of her eye she caught one of the costumers reaching for the phone on the wall.

Without hesitation, she unleashed a powerful string of lightning at the phone, then more at the other on the opposite end, and the one on the counter before breaking all of the lightbulbs hanging from the ceiling. The costumers screamed in terror and hid underneath the tables. The unicorn drank every last drop before smashing the cup against the floor where it shattered.

"Who… are you?" One of the trembling costumers asked, his teeth clicking.

The unicorn crunched down to his level, gazing at his own reflection in her cold stare. "Somepony you don't want to mess with."

With one final shot of lightning the last lightbulb shattered, leaving the bar in a blanket of darkness. The unicorn slammed the door behind her, smirking in satisfaction at all the muffled murmurs from the other side and walked off, disappearing into the night.

(~)

The Friendship Festival

*(~)*

Proverbs 1:5 ~

Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser. Let those with understanding receive guidance

*(~)*

Twigs and leafs crushed beneath her boots as Princess Iris ran across the Everfree forest. Her best friend since childhood, Princess Akari, was right beside her. She galloped at full speed, the two princesses panting. Every now and then they turned to look over their shoulders. The sound of hungry growls and the glowing eyes pierced through the darkness. The sound of claws digging into the ground grew louder and louder.

The opening was just up ahead, a radiant glow at the very end of the forest. The girls ran faster but Iris lost her footing, tripping over a rock that escaped her vision in her rush to escape the threat. Akari slid to a halt, gasping at seeing her friend at the mercy of the creatures.

Stomping her hoof and flaring her nostrils, Akari ran back and pulled Iris by the purple arm warmer of her right arm. She got back up and the two ran out into the opening. The princesses came to a slow halt, catching their breath. They had arrived at a clearing, filled with crystal clear streams and vibrant green grass. Small yellow butterflies fluttered over the beautiful flowers in bloom.

Just when it seemed all was safe, the sound of growling came from the opening. Two large creatures on all fours, with massive jaws and sharp claws leaped out at the two, landing right on top of them. Their screams quickly dissolved into fits of giggles as the creatures licked their faces, which were revealed to have been canines. A timberwolf and an orca-wolf. They were Akari and Iris's beloved animal companions, Timber Spruce and Akhlut.

Iris sat upright, with Akhlut still licking her face. "Yeah, you caught us, boy. Good job." Iris managed to pry her beloved pet away for a moment to stand back up. Digging into the pocket of her pants she pulled out a few treats. Tossing them into the air, both Timber and Akhlut caught them in their mouths.

Akari giggled as she rubbed her friend's wooden belly. "Who's a good, boy? You are! Yes, you are! Who loves you? I do! Yes, I do!"

After all these years, the two princesses never got tired of a good game of chase with their wild animal friends. Four years ago, Iris and her friends became their generation's new Elements of Harmony, succeeding her mother Queen Korra and her friends.

Years before Iris and Akari were born, both their mothers, Avatar Korra and Twilight Sparkle, met and formed a powerful friendship, alongside a group of special ponies known as The Mane Six. Together, they made up the Seven Elements of Harmony.

Honesty. Kindness. Laughter. Generosity. Loyalty. Magic. And Unity.

Iris and Akari were only fourteen and thirteen, respectively when they inherited their mother's roles as Princesses of Friendship, Avatar and the Elements of Unity and Magic respectively. Now, at ages eighteen and seventeen, they had grown into a couple of strong, intelligent and benevolent young women.

Iris was now as tall as her mother was at that age, literally now at eye level with her, with an athletic build that many had commented was a near duplicate of her mother's. Her skin was brown, but a few shades lighter in comparison to Korra's. Her long dark brown hair (more dark than brown) reached right behind her knees, curled to effortless perfection, even during her "bad hair" days, streaked with colors of pink, light orange, aquamarine and blue. Her cutie mark; a rainbow heart behind a pair of matching rainbow wings, rested on the left side of her cheek and a purple four inch star with a white dot was forever tattooed on her forehead, which worked as a unicorn horn. Her violet eyes sparkled like amethysts and her wings, feathers dipped in purple, magenta and pink, were so strong they could create a massive wind whenever they flapped.

Being of both water and fire nation heritage, Iris often wore the one color that was formed when both red and blue were mixed together; Purple! She wore a plum colored shirt that hugged her body, one sleeve that ended at a golden outline right bellow her left shoulder while the other sleeve reached a few inches past her right elbow. Over the shirt she wore a purple asian-styled sleeveless vest with aquamarine outlines. Around her shoulders she wore the only one red accessory; Her father's bright crimsons scarf.

She had a golden belt with a lotus buckle with a golden outline and an aqua center, which faded to a lighter shade, giving it an aquatic look with two pieces of matching fabric that fell down to the front, contrasting with Iris's thick dark blue pants. Her belt also held an open purple skirt that was open in the front, with an aqua outline. On her right arm she had a purple arm warmer and a fingerless purple glove on her left hand. Her boots had purple and golden outlines, with a single blue diamond at the center. Two stands of her hair were tied up with golden bands, reminiscent of her mother's old side wolftails from when she was young.

As for Akari, she had grown into a very strong looking alicorn with an athletic build, wings as powerful as an eagle's, coupled with speed and agility that rivaled the strongest minotaur. Both princesses were true forces to be reckoned with. Years of traveling across Equestria, solving friendship problems called on from the Cutie Map, making new friends and facing new enemies, while also juggling typical teenager issues like dating, homework and dances.

The once inexperienced fourteen-year-old who traveled to the Dark Spirit Realm to rescue her parents was becoming more and more the picturesque image of a ruler-to-be with equal levels of grace, power and wisdom. Her powers had grown as well. She was now a master bender of all four elements, merging them flawlessly with the spells she had learned from her mother, Twilight, Starlight Glimmer, Sunset Shimmer, the Alicorns and Nova Nightshade.

Akari was still as adventurous and wild-hearted as she had always been. Nothing made her feel more at home than running across the uncharted parts of the forest, documenting new plants, locations and animals she had never seen before in her journals--color coded and organized by types of diverse flora and fauna, of course--Akari may be more of a tomboy, but she was identical in her mother when it came to keeping tabs of everything she had found over the years. She loved exploring and making new discovering every day, and was skilled at an arsenal of weapons. She no doubt inherited her trill-seeking side from her grandmother, Twilight Velvet.

Iris lovingly rubbed Akhlut's belly, spreading his back wide against the grassy fields. Afterwards, Iris strengthened her back, removing a few stray strands of hair from her face. "Alright, that was fun and all, but we should get going."

"Come on, we've still got a few more--"

"Actually, we don't." Iris pointed her thumb up towards the sky. It was exactly dawn. The sun had just risen up ahead, giving the sky a warm, radiant pink glow. "We're supposed to meet with the others in thirty minutes."

Akari took a deep breath. "Right. Of course, totally knew that." Akari rolled her eyes sarcastically. She was taken by surprise when Iris grabbed her and started spinning her around as if she were a child. Akari laughed at Iris's silliness and the two hugged. Her nerves already calming down.

"Come on. Let's fly!"

Iris took off to the skies first, with Akari hesitating a bit. Timber Spruce whimpered a bit, nudging her left with his snout. She flapped her wings and stroked his leafy hair. "Next time, boy. Wish me luck." she gulped and flew off after Iris. "I'm gonna need it."

(~)

MaggiesHeartLove presents:

Based on the stories and characters by

Lauren Faust

Bryan Kinietzko

and Michael DiMartino

………………………

The Little Pony Legend:

Guardians of Harmony

………………………

Hey! Hey! Hey!

See the ponies trottin' down the street

Equestria is where they wanna meet

They all know where they wanna go

And they're trottin' in time

And they're trottin', yeah

They got the beat

Yeah!

They got the beat

The sun was now right in the center of the sky. Pegasus ponies and sky bison soared over the earth, nose diving into the clouds as if they were pools of water, emerging from the other side. The Canterlot Trains station had been receiving guests all day. Ponies from all across the Equestria and people from all over the Four Nations gaze in awe at the majesty of Canterlot.

Spirits soared through the sky and in the ground, greeting guests and showering the land with their radiant colors. Ali, Mika and San flew overhead, observing everybody entering the city. Ali pulled out the walkie talkie from her police jacket, pressing the button to speak.

"Base one to base two, the Earth Federation leaders have just arrived. Visual on Governor of Yi and Government officials from Omashu. We've also got guests from Zaofu, Ember Islands and Southern Equestria all approaching your way."

Spike, now a full grown adult dragon, spoke into the earpiece he had. "Copy that." he replied though his ear piece, writing down the list on his clipboard. The guests walked through the massive arch and into the city. The arch depicted the sun and moon, with statues of both Celestia and Luna facing each other. The marble structures could never fully capture their supernatural beauty, but they certainly tried.

Spike snapped his fingers, getting a few little spirits to fly up to the guests, handing them each a lovely irilissis flower with a few candies tied to the stem. The irilisis flower was a rainbow flower. The Rainbow was the Team Avatar Harmony Family's own symbol of friendship, unity and diversity. Spike bowed at each of the guests. "Welcome, one and all, to the Friendship Festival! Hosted by the Guardians of Harmony themselves!"

The new Governor of Yi happily took the flower from the spirit as more and more guests from all walks of life, young and old, rich and middle class, scaly and furry entered the archway. Today, big names and tittles didn't matter. Today, everybody was treated equally. No one was above or beneath anyone.

"Thank you, kind Dragon." said the Governor. "If I may ask, where are the Guardians? Will we get to see them soon?"

"You will, Sir. They've prepared this entire festival, special for everyone. Please, enjoy yourself, and don't forget to be here for the Songbird Serenade concert!"

"Ohh! I love her album!" the Governor walked along, already starting a conversation with a fruit vendor, handing him a cup of sweet fruit ice-cream.

Go-go music really makes us dance

Do the pony, puts us in a trance

Do the watusi, just give us a chance

That's when we fall in line

'Cause we got the beat

We got the beat

Yeah

We got it!

So far, the Festival was off to a beautiful start. Everyone found someone to speak with. Stands with all types of food from all around were sold, which really helped with sparking up conversations about their respected cultures. Ponies told stories of their favorite legends and experiences. Even Wan Shi Tong himself attended the festival, handing out old books he had in his library. He had been hoarding knowledge for so long, he had eventually realized that sharing it with others was far more fulfilling. Little children, humans, ponies and spirits alike, sat around him as he read out loud the tales of a courageous woman who fought a mighty dragon to save her homeland, while also explaining just how she was able to forge a sword from an opal stone.

Airbenders soared across the skies alongside their pegasus companions, delivering all sorts of delicious treats. Trixie had set up a stand where kids could unleash their own fireworks and Dragon Lord Ember and her fellow dragons played arm wrestling with their new friends, while also giving kids rides on their backs. Griffons shared their scones and did arts and crafts. Maud Pie and her family had a rock candy stand, where they made rock candy necklaces for everyone.

A few kids were flying kites near the petting zoo, hosted by the changelings, when one little girl pointed up to the sky. "Look! It's the princesses!"

Those who heard her looked up at the sky and immediately the crowd started waving and cheering for the two as they soared downwards, waving at everyone.

"Princess Iris!"

"Princess Akari, I love you!"

"You guys are so awesome!"

"Great festival!"

"I'm your biggest fan!"

No matter how many times Iris did this, it was still overwhelming. Her mother said that it was always like this the first few years, since every new lesson made one more and more humble. But, in time, it will feel like second nature. Akari, on the other hand, didn't think too much of it, and even enjoyed having folks cheer her name. Unfortunately, since today this was something she was co-in charge of setting up, that seed of worry was already starting to sprout.

The two landed nearby a ring toss game, where they were already swarmed by guests from all around. A mess of colors blurred their vision. Ponies began showering Akari with questions.

"Princess Akari! Is it true you once fought the king of the manticors?"

"Did you really fight off a sand worm?"

"What was it like in the Dark Spirit Realm? Did you really see Koh the Face Stealer?"

"How many tiaras do you own?"

"I heard you have the Blade of Marmora in your collection of swords!"

Any ounce of stress that wavered on Akari had withered away. Now this was the kind of attention she was most comfortable with. The alicorn princess stood proudly before the children. "Well, the manticor king wasn't all that scary to be honest. As for the Sand Worm, I'll admit I can't take full credit for that. It was my friend Mai's quick thinking that won the day. The Dark Spirit Realm was suuuuper scary! With all kinds of traps and spirits ready to pounce at you!"

Akari rose up on her hind legs, giving a scary look, towering over the children, who only gave a synchronized "Ooooooooooh!"

"But, it was nothing we couldn't handle, right Iris?… Iris?" Akari turned her head around to see her best friend having a conversation with multiple guests… all of which were leaders of the various towns and cities in the Earth Federation and Equestrian diplomats.

"I'm really happy to hear about your new trading agreement with Zaofu, Mayor Golden Hooves. They have the best engineers and metalbenders in the Earth Kingdom, they'll definitely make your new mailing system work more efficiently." Iris said to a unicorn stallion in an expensive suit and a friendly exterior.

"The honor should really go to you, Princess Iris. If not for you and your friends saving our mines from those greedy diamond dogs we never would have discovered that cavern of silver! We don't have much use for it as currency, but it works beautifully to fix our state of the art delivery system those dogs had destroyed! We're making more progress than ever. I honestly can't thank you enough."

Iris couldn't help but blush. "Oh, please, it was nothing. Anyone would have done the same thing."

"Nothing?" A man with water tribe clothing spoke, "If not for you, I would have lost my entire shipment of fish. My business would have been ruined! Your idea of training the orca wolves to deliver the shipments was pure genius! My family's making more money and ever."

"This festival you're putting together is absolutely splendid! Your mother will be so proud of you."

Iris's blush deepened. She was only trying to help, she wasn't asking for any praise. Her mother said this kind of thing would happen, and yes, in time she would get used to it too.

Akari, on the other hand, couldn't help but drop her ears. When they were younger and attended important political events with their parents, Akari was often bored out of her mind during those events, but Iris was more tentative. She watched as her mother and father handled the situations with confidence, patience, compassion and firmness. She always wondered how they were able to do this kind of stuff without caving under pressure. Korra and Mako had always explained to Iris that, even thought politics can be unnecessarily complex, at the core, the important thing was to place the needs of the people above their own. So long as they maintained that goal in sight, everything else would work itself out in its own time. If the politicians were impatient, sooner or later they would see the results, even if it wasn't at the speed they wanted.

Since she was fourteen, Iris wanted nothing more than to be a good leader like her mother, though she needed to learn her own lesson the hard way. After her first adventure, which resulted in her, literally, falling from grace due to her own pride and desire to prove herself, Iris couldn't see that she needed to better understand her mother's role in the world if she was to cary on the mantel one day.

It wasn't about being like her mother, an adored hero, it was about trusting her friends and focusing on the safety and happiness of others. With so many years of learning, this message was well engraved in Iris's mind and heart. She used her own special kind of magic to form friendships and restore them. The whole political stuff was just a one sided thing that came with the territory. Honestly, that stuff was easy compared to the friendship part. But, much like her father, Iris was no stranger to hard work.

Akari was… more of a reverse situation. While Iris was the unsure one, often worrying on whether or not she was good enough, Akari was always giving her the best advice she could give. Akari was Iris's right hand pony. Always behind her, beside her and, if necessary, right in front of her acting as a shield of protection from anything that threatened to harm her. When it came to explorations, treasure maps, solving puzzles and riddles under pressure (she always loved playing the "Manehattan Escapes" games back in the day), Akari was a master. In her element, an unstoppable force.

But, when it game to royal events like diplomatic meetings, solving political issues or even organizing large events that had to do with making a good impression, Akari didn't give it as much priority as she did her adventures. Twilight always told Akari that she would need to learn this since she was a princess, and even a Princess of Friendship needed to understand these types of things in order to help friends.

Now, Akari, Iris and the rest of their friends--The New Elements of Harmony-- were placed fully in charge of organizing the festivities for the annual Day of Harmony Celebration. Their parents were often the ones who organized the events, but now they would only serve as helpers. It was the children's time to take full responsibility. It was going to be massive, and everybody was expecting the kids to really wow them. Akari was placed, for the first time ever, in charge of something big and important without necessarily being beside her mother. She had never done anything like this before. She tried to see it as something as easy as sword fighting, but this wasn't a game. She wasn't a young filly with all the free time in the world anymore. Today was only another small milestone on her inevitable future as Queen.

It all dumped on her at once. Akari was seventeen now, she had to take this stuff seriously sooner or later. If she had known the exact day, she wouldn't have been so careless about any of this.

Akari was snapped out of her thoughts when the diplomates started surrounding her. "Princess Akari, I hear you will be attending the next meeting between the governing families of Omashu and Ba Sing Sea." said another Earth federation official. "Will you be attending alongside your mother, or will it be you and Princess Iris?"

"Oh, well, you see, I--"

"Because I was hoping to discuss a few details with both of you, if that's alright."

Normally when this kind of thing happened, it was her mother who was front and center. All Akari had to do was stand beside her and let her take control of the reigns. But now, all of this attention was aimed at her. Even as a Guardian of Harmony, where she was adored by her heroic deeds she managed to stand cool and collected. But, this wasn't only because she had defeated a massive monster or anything like that. This was because she was the hostess. One of the Big Ones in charge. Yes, she had her friends, but she couldn't be causal about this kind of responsibility anymore.

"Um, sure, but the thing is--"

A unicorn spoke up, levitating a pen and paper. "Princess, I'm with the Manehatten News Agency, I've been meaning to ask you a few questions regarding your next attendance with the Duke and Duchess or Maretonia."

"That's still a few months away, and I'm not really--"

"Okay, everyone, I understand you're all very excited for what is to come for me and my friend, I am too. But, if it is alright with all of you, may we place these topics on hold for the time being?" Iris asked politely, taking control of the situation with patience. "This day is about making new friends. Celebrating the day our worlds were united. I promise, whatever you wish to discuss with us or our parents will be met in due time, but let's make today a special day. For all of us. Can we all agree on that?"

Each of the guests stared at the princess, then at each other. They all nodded in agreement. "Absolutely, Princess! Come on, everyone. This is a day of celebration! Let's cease the day!"

The dignitaries all cheered and dispersed, each one going off to enjoy one of the many activities in store. Once they were gone, Akari took in a heavy breath. "Oh my sweet Celestia, thank you! I don't know how much longer I could have held them off!"

"Yeah, tell me about it. These politician folks sure are eager. But, you won't have to worry about them for the rest of the day."

"Yeah. Today." Akari muttered bitterly. "But what about tomorrow? Or the day after that? A bunch of fans, I can handle, but politicians, reporters and world leaders discussing highly important matters? How am I supposed to handle an actual visit from the Duke of Maretonia if I can't even--"

"Hey. You see that?"

Iris really had been paying attention to Akari's ranting, but at the corner of her eye, Iris caught sight of something that placed her senses on full alert. Akari turned in the direction of where she was looking at. At a nearby stand, one run by Zecora, a young man casually walked by.

He didn't look like anyone Iris or Akari knew. He was only a few inches taller than Iris, from what they had gathered, with brown skin and white colored (no doubt dyed). He wore rouged old clothing and was walking around barefoot. He also had blue tattoo markings on his well tones arms. His eyes were a soft caramel shade. He could possibly have been either Earth or Fire Nation descent, though his blue markings looked more water-based than anything.

While Zecora was pouring a liquid into a jar, emitting a sweet smelling scent that caught the attention of a few nearby ponies, the young man moved his hand swiftly, grabbing a single jar of the liquid right from under Zecora's nose. He disappeared amongst a walking crowd, only to spontaneously manifest a good ten feet away from the stand, taking a cup of ice cream when the vendor had his back turned.

The young man proceeded this, swiping a watch, a diamond necklace and a few hazelnuts. He moved so quick he could have easily been mistaken for a gust of wind. Here on moment and gone in a single moment. Even stranger, every time he moved, a small wind current would form, distracting his unsuspecting victims long enough for him to swindle them.

Was he an airbender instead?

Iris and Akari looked at one another, eyes narrowed and nodded their heads in silent agreement. Spreading their wings they hovered over the place before landing near one of the Canterlot Statues of the deceased Prince White and Avatar Wan, standing side by side. They kept their eyes locked on their target. They lost him for a moment, only for Akari to quickly spot him in between the petting zoo and Wan Shi Tong's book stand. He swiped a single apple from a person who was about to take a single bite. He created a gust of wind and grabbed the juicy red fruit before the man even knew what had happened.

Iris could already feel her blood boiling. This was the Festival of Friendship, and this guy was taking advantage of everyone like it was all a game, she knew because the whole time he was stealing, the boy wore a smug smile on his face. As if he were proud of his thefts.

Using their magic, and timing it just right, the two teleported themselves to where the boy had just sat down on the fountain in the city's center. He licked his lips and was about to take a bite of his apple, only to bite into nothing but air. "Hey! What gives?" He looked up, only to see Iris holding the apple in her hand. The boy didn't look phased at all. "Didn't your mother ever teach you it's wrong to steal?"

"Funny, I was about to ask you the same thing." Iris tossed the table over her shoulder, which landed in the hand of the exact same guy the young thief had just taken it from. He didn't question the tiny miracle and happily munched on the juicy snack.

"Look, I heard that everything here was free here today. Maybe you should consider rethinking your festival policy a bit, princess." The young man raised his hands up in apology, but kept that smug grin on his face. Iris tried so hard to resist the urge to slap it right off of him.

"There is a fine line between having something willingly given you to, and you stealing it!" Akari stated, stomping her hoof authoritatively. "Also, we never said everything was free. Some food and drink stands, sure, but not everything is up for grabs."

"Which further emphasizes my earlier comment. Rethink your festival policy."

"The Friendship Festival is true to it's name, and as Princesses, it's our job to make sure it stays that way. Which means, this kind of behavior isn't welcome."

"Funny, because from what I've read, it says all are welcome here." The boy crossed his legs casually and waved one of the posters they had printed to promote the festival at Iris's face. She angrily yanked it off of his hands.

"Yes, all are welcome." Iris said, "But that doesn't give you the right to steal from others. So hand them over." she extended her hand to him.

"Sorry, but I got this stuff fair and square."

"Oh, did you now? Then, the ones who were in charge of the stands gave you these items?"

"They were right there, so yeah, I'd like to think they did."

"Alright, fair enough." Iris snapped her fingers and a portfolio manifested in front of her. She opened it and flipped through the pages, landing on a specific one she already knew by memory. "Let's see here. Ah, yes, you are absolutely right." Iris said, speaking in a false cheerful tone. "As it is clearly stated on this little file I have here. Any form of stock on sale for the festival during the Day of Harmony may be free of charge or an item on sale for purchase--as in, you pay with money--depending on the choice and regulations of the vendor handing out said items."

"There, ya see?" The boy dusted off his old shirt as he stood back up, winking at Iris, ready to make his leave. "Glad we came to an understanding." With brute force, Iris grabbed his shirt and pushed him back to sit on the fountain. The boy blinked in surprise at her strength.

"However! The buyer--that's you--must first inquire the vendor on whether or not this is the case." The boy was about to get up again, and this time Akari pushed him back with her hind legs as Iris continued. "If this request is not met, then the act is considered theft and the punishment is to return the items and properly pay for them. If these demands are not met, the suspect will be unable to purchase anything at all for the remainder of the day. To choosing to defy the means is, in fact, defying the entirety of the Festival."

The boy scoffed, tilting his head back. His frosty bangs bouncing over his forehead. "Yeah, that's adorable, sweetheart. You keeping all that in that little color coded folder?"

Iris had a smug smile of her own and closed the folder… revealing the Harmony City police seal/the Canterlot Royal Seal. The boy's smile morphed into a frown, his caramel eyes widening.

"These rules were approved by the royal house of Canterlot, and the Harmony City Police Department by the Chief of Police and the Queen Avatar themselves, who I affectionally like to call; Mommy and Daddy." Iris snapped her fingers again and the portfolio disappeared. She kept her hands on her lips, giving a smug grin which rivaled his own. She was oozing the same sass her mother had when she was that age. The likeness was almost uncanny.

"Now, this could go either way." Iris said, inspected her nails and her confidence radiating off of her like an ignited flame. "You either return and properly pay for what you stole and if you give your word not to let this happen again, then we'll let this little mistake slip under the rug out of generosity. If you choose not to cooperate, then I'll have to call security to escort you off the premises. Was that too fast for you?"

The young man blinked, placing one hand on his hips. His lips curled into a pout, as if he were processing everything she just said. "Wow. Just… wow. You guys have taken this whole "friendship" thing to fanatic levels."

"Escuse me?"

"Come on. Look at all of this." He extended his hands, gesturing to the massive festival around him. "Your family has basically turned this "Friendship is Magic" motto into some worldwide cult."

Both princesses scoffed in disgust. "Cult?!"

Akari flew up to his face, tapping her hoof at his chest. "Look man, just who do you think you are? I don't remember ever meeting you before!"

"The name's Hozu, and believe me, if we had met, I would have remembered." The boy--Hozu, as he called himself-- turned his attention to Iris, winking flirtatiously. The feathers of her wings ruffled in anger, while her cheeks burned red.

The Avatar took in a deep breath to compose herself and rose a finger up. "Okay, one; Eww!" She rose two fingers, "And two; What problem do you have against my family?"

"Look, it's nothing personal, okay." Hozu rose his hands in surrender, stepping back a few feet. Iris noticed the way his feet seamlessly glided across the floor. "I'm just not as passionate about this kind of stuff as you are."

"Then why are you even here?" Akari asked, folding her front hooves over her chest. It was a valid question. If he didn't care for the Friendship Festival, why come at all.

"Hey, crazy or not, free food, I'm there." With a wave of his wrist, he swiped a cupcake from the tray balanced on the head of a bypassing pony. She went on, completely oblivious of the theft.

Iris and Akari's jaws dropped and the boy swiftly moved to the side, completely emerging himself in the growing crowd. Akari tapped Iris's shoulder and pointed ahead, revealing him to be walking down a sidewalk.

The two teleported themselves right in front of him, blocking his path. "Alright, slick Nick, this is your final warning! Don't make me call security!" Iris threatened, taking the cupcake he was about to take a bite out of and magically teleported it away to its rightful owner.

"You know, you're pretty strict for Princesses of Friendship."

"Keep pushing it and you'll get a lot more than just 'strict' from us!" Akari said, gritting her teeth. Both her and Iris gasped when Hozu pulled out a single slice of sponge cake from behind him. They hadn't even seen when he had taken it, most likely when he immersed himself into the crowd earlier and they had temporally lost sight of him. Clearly, this guy wasn't at the festival to make friends, but to cause trouble. They have tackled with his type before. Streetwise, flirtatious trouble makers.

"Alright, that's it!" Iris reached out to grab his wrist, only to blink in surprise when a gust of wind suddenly blinded her and Akari. Traces of hair fell over their eyes, blocking their view. Once they could see again, the guy was gone.

"What the heck?"

"Gotta be quicker than that, Princess!" Hozu called out from behind, giving her a taunting salute and zipped away. The girls took to the skies, expecting to catch him from a bird's eye view. They split up in opposite directions. Iris caught sight of him almost immediately and called on Akari to follow.

Iris landed in a four point position, while Akari landed on all fours, nearly crushing the surface of the roof, spotting Hozu casually lounging with his legs crossed and arms behind his head.

"Okay, you're good, I'll admit, but this ends here!" Akari said, "Give back what you stole!"

"Already did."

"What?"

"See for yourself." Hozu pulled out a telescope from his back pocket and tossed it over to Iris. She gave him a questionable expression. "Didn't steal it." he said. "Check the side."

Iris did as he said and found his name written, surprisingly lovely, onto the side. 'Properly of Hozu' it read. Iris and Akari took turns looking into the telescope, spotting Zecora's stand, where the very bottle Hozu had taken had returned. The watch, the necklace, the hazelnuts (surprisingly), even the ice cream.

"See? I can be reasonable."

Iris tossed him back the telescope, which he grabbed without even looking. Akari was right, he was good. "Okay, what kind of game are you playing?" the Avatar asked, putting on her 'authority' face again.

"Life. Life is my game, teacup. Been my motto since I was a pip-squeak."

"Could you not call me 'teacup', please?"

"My bad, I just assumed you grew up sipping tea and eating crumpets at your palace garden."

Iris clenched her fists, her nails digging into her skin. "For the record, I grew up in a palace condo. In the middle of the ocean."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I really under estimated your squeaky clean upbringing." Hozu did an ariel flip and slipped down from the roof. The two girls flew back up to see him land perfectly, without airbending, down to the ground. He started casually walking along, hands behind his head, with Iris and Akari right beside him.

"Hey! Where are you going?" Iris asked.

"Why? Want to join me?" Hozu winked again. Every time he did, Iris's blood boiled like the impatient lava of an active volcano.

"I am this close to poking out your eyes!" Iris hissed, holding her index finger and thumb inches apart from one another. She hadn't noticed that her hiss was louder than she had intended it to be. Already there were a few guests staring at her in surprise. Iris gave them a nervous smile and dragged Hozu out of sight, stopping right behind a statue of Celestia.

"Okay, frost tips, I think finally figured you out."

"Did you now?"

"Yeah. You go on through life, doing what you want and you think you're happy, but you're not. If you were really happy you wouldn't keep stealing things that--" Iris stopped in he tracks when she sees Hozu with a stick of fruit slices, no doubt from the stand they were standing by a few minutes ago. She angrily swiped it away and teleported it back to the person who purchased it. She took in a deep breath to simmer down the anger.

"Alright, here's the deal. We're not going to make you leave."

"We're not?" Akari asked, cocking her head.

"No. Because he's right."

"I am?" Hozu asked, looking genuinely surprised.

"He is?!" Akari repeated.

"Yes. I was being too harsh." Iris said. "As Princesses of Friendship, we should be welcoming to everyone. Even guys like him. Besides, if there is any place where you can start to find a friend, it's right here. Trust me, it'll make all the difference."

It took a little while, but after hearing what Hozu said about Iris's "squeaky clean upbringing" she was starting to get a clearer picture of him. Her father, King Mako, chief of police of Harmony City wasn't always the admired symbol of chivalry and heroism he was today. He was an orphaned street rat, stealing and hustling people to get by, even teaming up with the Triads alongside his younger brother, all so they could survive. Meeting her mother and the ponies changed him for the better and he and Korra even started a program for delinquent youths to work as interns at the police station or partake in community service so they can see that they could be more than criminals. To find the magic within themselves to make a difference both in their own lives and in the lives of others.

After all, an enemy is just a friend you haven't made yet.

Iris had allowed her temper to flare a little too quickly she couldn't see it. Like Akari, she was taking this festival very seriously and didn't want there to be trouble. It wasn't anything new for one or two trouble makers to slip through and create mischief during these events. But, if Iris was going to fully take over as Queen of Friendship one day, she was going to have to start acting like one.

Hozu looked one hundred percent… disinterested. Iris's words were like a breeze blowing through his ears. He clapped his hands together, taking in a deep breath before speaking. "Alright, here's what I gathered from you. You think just because your mom founded this whole "Friendship is Magic" revolution that you can just look at someone and instantly find the answer to their problems. Well, I got news for you…" Hozu leaned in closer, his voice low, making air quotes with his fingers. "This 'Friendship' stuff, isn't for everybody."

"That's not true."

"Really? Then, how come there is still so much evil in the world, huh?"

"We are all capable of great good or great evil. It's in us to choose who we're going to be."

"And we're all obligated to choose the Magic of Friendship, right?"

"No! Nobody is obligated to accept it!" Iris's voice rose. She tried her hardest to keep her anger in check, but Hozu was being incredibly difficult. How was it that this guy could make her feel this enflamed so easily?

"If that's the case, then why do you have these massive festivals for it?"

"To show everyone that they can choose Friendship out of their own free will, and to see how much better their lives can be once they allow it into their hearts."

"See, right there. There it is." Hozu pointed at her. "You say everyone's lives will be better if they choose the Magic of Friendship, or the "path of the Light" or whatever you call it, because you think any other choice is the wrong one. Well, you don't have to worry so much about me because I have already made my choice."

Hozu moved quick, too quick to keep up, and stopped right behind Iris. His cold breath against her skin caused a chill to run up her spine and the urge to slap him across the face intensified. Her hands formed into a fist before she could even comprehend what she was doing.

"I choose me."

A cold wind swept around the princesses and, just like that, Hozu was gone. Iris and Akari stood there, staring perplexed at the spot where Hozu has just disappeared without a trace. There was something very strange about that boy.

"Oh, good! There you guys are!" Gallant Steed--Son of Starlight Glimmer, Element of Kindness and Akari's boyfriend--came galloping towards them. His horn glowing bright with magic, levitating an assortment of scrolls, pencils and notebooks over his head.

"Where have you been? I've already got the charts and graphs fifteen minutes ago."

Iris and Akari gasped, "The presentation!"

(~)

Iris and Akri were already out of breath, bursting into the hallways of Canterlot Castle Both princesses began circling around, opposite one another. Iris was frontally fiddling with her hands, her feathers ruffling, while Akai was literally trotting as she went. Constant movement usually helped them focus, but their methods were failing them now.

Gallant gently lowered the materials onto one side of the room, being the only calm one here. Placing his hoof into his mouth he whistled loudly, which made the two princesses stop in their tracks. Akari ended up bumping into Iris's legs from behind.

"Guys! Breath!"

The light outside embraced the room in its warm glow, cascading the shimmering colors of the stained glass window over the princesses. In their anxious pacing they had, coincidentally--or, maybe not--stopped right in front of three windows in specific, standing side by one with one another.

One window depicted the long deceased Avatar Wan and Prince White. The Avatar stood in between his old companion and a younger looking Princess Leilani. A yellow and blue aura surrounded them, symbolizing their transformation into alicorns. The spirit of Raava rose from Wan's body, both radiating in white and a single orange streak adorned Wan's hair. Evidence of the Equestrian magic he shared with them and remained within the Avatar for generations. After the words had disconnected, that colorful streak disappeared, only to reappear in blue on the locks of Avatar Korra.

Speaking of Korra. The second window depicted the moment Korra gained wings, surround by each of the Elements of Harmony. The Tree of Harmony replaced the area where Raava was in the other window, with a single white butterfly resting in Korra's clapped palms.

The third window was a lot newer in comparison to the other two. It was only four years old by this point but the girls could still smell the freshly polished glass as if it had just been made by the scorching heat of a dragon's breath. It mirrored its predecessor, only instead of Korra and the Mane Six, it had Iris and her friends.

Each window on the walls commemorated an important moment in their history, and today was, yet again, the anniversary of all three of these events. Wan, White and Leilani started the chain of events, Korra and the Mane Six cemented it and now Iris and her friends would carry on the legacy. As similar as the windows were, there was also an even balance of differences alongside those similarities.

The two princesses took in deep breaths. Akari spread out her wings while Iris held her hands together in a standing meditation position. After a few short moments, the two managed to calm their rattling nerves.

Iris adjusted her long curly ponytail. "Okay. We're okay, we're calm."

"Yeah. Totally." Akari nodded her head, adjusting her bangs, which were normally messy but this time she made an even bigger effort to tame them. Smooth them down with her front hoof, her mane was styled to near perfection…before rebelling and bouncing back it its original messy style. She hoof palmed herself in frustration but quickly composed herself.

"Alrighty, this is no problem." Akari said, though it was hard to tell on whether or not she was saying it to Iris or to herself. "Just go in there and ask!"

"Right." Iris agreed, sounding a bit more determined, though subtle hints of nervousness could be spotted just bellow the surface. "This is our Friendship Festival! Everybody's happiness rests on us."

"Yeah… everybody's." Akari's tone lowered at the last part. Her ears dropping in synchronization.

"You know you guys aren't fooling anyone, right?" Gallant Steed said, rather bluntly. A character trait he inherited from his mother, Starlight Glimmer.

"Sorry, sweetie. I'm just so nervous about this meeting." Akari said, anxiously tapping her front hoof against the red velvet carpet.

Iris scratched the back of her neck, "Yeah, me too."

"What are you talking about? They're your parents, and you've known the Alicorns since you were in dippers. Heck, Queen Cadance even changed a few of them."

Akari blushed and pouted, while Iris stiffened a laugh. "Aunt Cadance can be such a blabbermouth."

Iris turned to look back at the windows, the light creating rainbows across her face. "Parents or not, we're about to ask the most important figures in Equestria for a huge favor. This is the first time we've ever been placed in charge of preparing the Day of Harmony Celebration. The most important day in our family's history." Iris's violet eyes dropped, memory of that encounter with the mysterious Hozu filled her mind, fueling her doubt. "What if they reject our idea?"

Gallant wrapped his hoof around his girlfriend's shoulder, addressing to both of them. "Hey, we're all nervous. You're right, we've never been in charge of something as big as this."

"And we're the ones pulling the reigns." Akari pointed out, mainly at herself and Iris.

"It'll be fine. Just remember the most important thing."

Akari gasped. "The tiaras!" she levitated both her and Iris's respected crowns. Akari's was blue with sapphires, decorated to resemble a flame with stars swirling around it, while Iris's was gold with aquamarine stones and pearls, the form resembled that of a lotus flower.

Akari placed them both on their respected heads, only for Iris to use her own magic to switch them around. In her hurry, Akari had accidentally mixed them up, placing her own tiara on Iris's head instead of her own.

"Eh, no." Gallant said, "You guys are Guardians of Harmony now. Just like them."

Gallant was right. Iris and Akari were young adults now, not inexperienced teenagers. They were descendants of the Queens of Friendship. Iris carried the blood of the Avatar in her veins, just as Akari had the blood of a powerful alicorn who saved Equestria more than a dozen times. It was still baffling to see that they have come this far. They were on equal grounds with their mothers and the other Elements of Harmony now. Their words held just as much importance as theirs did.

Iris was humbly thankful for all the friends and lessons she had gained over the past four years, and now she was finally able to stand equal to her mother without the need for glory. She felt she had accomplished something.

Which was more than what Akari could say. Looking at Iris now, she was such a contrast to the unsure seven-year-old during the whole Ronin situation. She was radiating with confidence, standing as tall as any proud warrior…. while Akari was feeling smaller than a newborn breezie.

Iris stroked Akari's mane, which managed to ease at least some of her worries. "He's right. We've got this. Together."

Akari nodded, smiling. "Now and forever."

The two bro-hoofed before Iris pushed the doors open. Gallant walked behind them levitating all of their materials. In the very center were the two ruling alicorn sisters, Celestia and Luna, alongside their mother, Lady Leilani. Beside them was the Crystal Empire ruling family. Shinning Armor wore his signature knights armor, which was similar to the crystal armor of Flurry Heart. Like her cousin, she was a warrior princess at heart. Now a fully grown mare she radiated with all of the beauty of her mother Cadance and the bravery of her father.

Iris and Akari's attention quickly feel on their parents. Korra and Mako, though close to their forties at this point, still managed to stay as beautiful and strong as ever. Mako had his beard trimmed and Korra held her long magical hair in a half bun, while the rest of it castrated downwards against her back. Mako wore a royal looking version of his police uniform while Korra, as always, managed to pull off the casual royal look flawlessly. Her sleeveless muscle shirt was adorned with elegant patterns and she wore a pair of--what else--dark blue pants underneath her cape like shirt around her waist.

Twilight Sparkle's hair had grown longer, which she now held in a lose ponytail over her shoulder. Her once edgy bangs were now elegantly brushed to the side, with a few strands falling out of place over her forehead, keeping an ideal balance of beauty and attitude. She wore her signature gold crown and Flash Sentry, also with a beard of his own, stood beside her. His hair styled neatly and wearing a crown around his forehead with a blue stone in the center, which mirror's Mako's only his had a ruby.

"Good morning, Everyone." Iris said with respect as she and the others bowed. "Thank you all for seeing us. We have an idea that we think will make our Friendship Festival the most wonderful celebration Equestria has seen yet!"

Korra couldn't help but giggle at her daughter's enthusiasm. "Yes, Iris. We're all very excited!"

"Ponies have been arriving from all over all morning." Twilight said. "From Saddle Arabia to Manehattan."

"I know. I heard a few could barely book a stable." Flash Sentry said.

"You girls haven't run into any trouble yet, have you?" Mako asked.

Iris and Akari's eyes darted towards one another, trying to keep neutral expression. They didn't want to ruin their presentation by bringing up Hozu. Besides, what trouble could one guy really be? If they saw him again, they'll be able to handle it. Right now, they had to direct all of their energy into this presentation.

"Nothing we couldn't handle." Akari replied. It wasn't a complete lie.

Flurry Heart smiled proudly. "That's my little cousin."

"Naturally." Celestia said. "I have no doubt you kids have everything well at hoof."

The leaders and children were then startled when Discord, the spirit of chaos himself, manifested in between the alicorns and the humans. He was already wearing a Friendship Festival cap. "You kids have really outdone yourselves! I'd like to think all of these guests are here to see me--Discord! The Master of Magic and Chaos! But, let's face facts, Songbird Serenade might be the bigger attraction… Might."

Everyone else playfully rolled their eyes. "Yes, she is the... "mane" event!" Twilight giggled at her own pun. Akari fought the urge to groan in embarrassment. At least it helped to make her less anxious about the favor they were about to ask. When no one else laughed, Twilight stopped. "Right. You were saying?"

Iris turned to Gallant Steed, who magically pushed a white board on wheels front and center. On the side were a few drawings, a corner with some math equations and a few sticky notes.

Iris started the presentation. "Songbird Serenade's performance is not scheduled to start until after sunset."

"And based on me and Gallant's precise calculations," Akari proudly gestured to Gallant, who smiled looking equally as proud. "We've concluded the perfect pattern to the get the very best lighting for the stage! Queen Celestia, I was hoping you could use your firebending alicorn magic to bend the sun's rays at the exact moment about 28.1º to the south as it sets. And, Queen Luna, if you could do the same with your waterbending to capture the moonlight at 62º to the north at the same time, it would reflect the sunlight on the other side and really frame the entire stage perfectly!"

The entire time she was speaking, Akari used a marker to make drawings of said alicorn sisters, bending the light from their respected celestial symbols. She was already looking excited, this presentation was coming along a lot smoother than she had expected.

As for the adults, they… weren't entirely sure how to respond to this. Ever since Harmonic Convergence, Celestia and Luna were no longer responsible for moving the sun and moon as they once did, but their powers were still closely related to them.

Indeed, they could capture the lighting from both the sun and moon, but that took a lot of power, and concentration, and it was something they held only for emergencies. The last time Celestia attempted it, her entire body was so hot she set her own curtains aflame, and Luna's body was so cold she froze the entire throne room. It took hours to melt the guards. They were fine, but they gained terrible colds afterwards.

It wasn't lethal and wore off in a few short moments and so long as they kept their distance for a while everything would be alright, but powers like these, from two incredibly powerful alicorns who have lived for thousands of years, were still intense, and using them to light a stage for a concert didn't feel like the best idea.

Leilani, Korra, Mako, Twilight and Flash all agreed. All six darting their eyes at one another, keeping composed postures, but still looking visibly uncertain.

"I…"

"But wait! There's more!" Iris said eagerly, interrupting Luna who had just opened her mouth to speak. The moon alicorn gave her an unamused look but still listened. "Cadance, if you and Flurry Heart could use your crystal magic to create an aurora above the stage, the sun and the moon's light will shine through it and create a truly amazing light show!"

Discord had inserted himself into their presentation--something none of them had planned--spreading bright sparkles into the air and creating a spotlight on himself, dressed as Songbird Serenade. Complete with the eye covering yellow and black bangs and sparkly black dress.

"Presenting Songbird Serenade!" Discord said into the microphone as music played from out of nowhere, "I'm still breathing! I'm still breathing! Yeah!"

Iris, Akari and Gallants all gave the chaotic spirit disapproving looks, with Akari needing to forcibly shove him to the side, causing the spotlight to disappear. The three teenagers all smiled nervously at their parents, ignoring Discord smashing into something off screen.

"Ta-da…" He said weakly while out of sight.

"So you're saying you want us to use our magic to bend the light of the sun and the moon… for the party?" Luna said with a rather dubious tone.

"Yeah, that's a pretty tall order there, Akari." Flurry Heart said. While still as adventurous as she had always been, but with her age also came more maturity.

"Well, we'd do it ourselves, except we don't have your magic." Akari said, "I mean, we're master firebenders and Iris can waterbend like a pro, but--"

Twilight cut her daughter short by gently lowering her hoof with her own. "Akari, I understand you want this Festival to be perfect, and it will be. But you know as well as I do that we can't use magic all willy nilly."

"Especially alicorn magic that's thousands of years old." Flash pointed out. His ears perked up in realization and stammered at his next sentence. "N-Not that you guys don't still look great for your age!"

Leilani playfully rolled her eyes. "Thank you, King Flash. But, your mother is right, Akari." she said, making her horn glow brightly alongside her two daughters. "Each of us uses our powers to serve Equestria in our own way, just as you do."

Mako placed a hand on Iris's shoulder. "You have already come so far in such a short amount of time, and we couldn't be more proud." he then cupped his little girl's face, making her smile.

"You girls are the Guardians of Harmony now. You already have all the magic you need." Korra said, affectionately caressing her daughter's hair then placing her hand over her heart. "What you have in here is stronger than you know. Just trust in that and everything will work out the way it should."

"And we have no doubt you're going to make this Festival one to remember." Twilight said. "In your own way."

Twilight, Flash, Korra and Mako each hugged their respected daughter to give them reassurance that they weren't alone on this. But, even after the hug, the girls couldn't shake away the sting of disappointment in their stomachs.

"So… that'd be a no?" Akari said, ears dropping.

(~)

The Power of Friendship

*(~)*

Ephesians 2:10 ~

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.

*(~)*

The Power of Friendship

Here he was again. Alone. Hozu, the half-ling nobody with no friends, and even when he tried to act like a friend all it did was land him in trouble. He didn't have the heart to leave entirely, so he sat hunched over on a rock as the waves crashed. Droplets of salt water landing on his bare feet and he passed the time by throwing rocks into the sea.

What would have happened if he didn't follow Akari to take the pearl? Would she had succeeded, or would she have been caught and casted out either way? He was only trying to help her, but by pushing her out of the way of the jellyfish, sparing her from getting caught, he instead got all of them in trouble.

He could have told them the truth, but then they would have all been angry at Akari for stealing the pearl and… he just didn't have the heart to let that happen. He hoped Akari would tell them the truth, but the undecided and petrified look on her face made him feel even worse. She was scared to tell them, and she didn't even bother standing up for him either. He tried to help her, and this was how she repaid him, but at the same time he didn't want the friendship of the Guardians to falter.

Was he really so unsure of himself that he was willing to take the blame for something he didn't do? And not say the truth in fear or making maters worse? It was all too much drama even for him to handle. How these people managed to not go insane with all of the complexity and struggles of Friendship was a mystery he wasn't sure he even wanted to solve.

Maybe it was for the best. After all, every other act of attempted kindness had only landed him in trouble, and this wasn't any different. Dancing through life, not caring for anyone else except himself was less stressful. Lonely, but at least it spared him the headache he was feeling right now.

Still, he couldn't deny he would miss those guys. He'd miss Nori's sparkly personality. Chrysalis's big sister protectiveness. Hiro's sense of humor. Chi's bubbly-ness. Gallant Steed's words of encouragement. And, despite what happened, he would miss Akari's sass and Mai's snarky sense of humor and how they both cared so deeply for Iris.

And Iris… never in a million years would Hozu had imagined to find a girl like her. For once, he though he found someone who was, in a lot of ways, much like himself. Rare and different, yet she made him believe--for a moment--that his powers could cause more good than harm. His chest felt warm as he recalled their magical evening in the sky. He hoped it would have lasted forever.

Guess he was just far too blinded by all of the pretty colors and songs to see the truth. Friendship really wasn't for everyone… he was the proof.

Hozu let out a startled gasp when something began to rise from the waters. The head of a pony poked out, her long blue fin-like mane dripping wet.

"Princess Sky Star?"

"Hey!" The perky princess waved excitedly, though Hozu caught the air of awkwardness in her tone. "Where is everybody?"

Hozu moved around in his spot, placing his legs close to his chest. "Who knows." he replied dryly.

Sky Star's fin-shaped ears dropped as she swam closer to the shore. "I'm not mad. About the pearl thing. I know you were only trying to help your friends."

"I wasn't trying to steal the pearl." Hozu confessed, realizing it wouldn't matter anymore. "I was trying to save Akari from getting caught."

Sky Star's eyes widened. "Oh. Well, either way, I'm not upset. I'm sure she did it because she wanted to help. And that was very sweet of you."

"Whatever. You should get back. Your mother's probably worried."

Sky Star didn't understand why Hozu was feeling so down, or why he wasn't with the others. Maybe they had a fight, or maybe Akari was upset. She wanted to ask, but a gut feeling was telling her that if she did ask Hozu would probably get even grouchier than he already was.

"You know…" she began, "When my mom took us underwater, I thought it was a good idea at the time. But, after meeting all of you, and seeing just how far you were willing to go to save your people it made it realize that… I don't want to hide from my problems anymore."

"Sometimes it's better to hide." Hozu said, still dejectedly. "That way, nobody can hurt you."

"Well, yeah, but if you do that then you'll just be stuck in the same place for the rest of your life. So… which is worse?"

Hozu opened his mouth only to realize… he didn't have a counter for that. For a high spirited princess, Sky Star was a lot smarter than she led on. Her words managed to penetrate the thick stubborn fog that clouded Hozu's brain for so long.

Sitting here alone did feel exactly like all those years of wandering and Dancing Through Life, but when he was with Iris and the others he was… alive.

He was actually living, actually having an adventure and learned things not only about himself he never acknowledge before, but also got to experience new creatures, emotions and see first hand just how powerful Friendship can be.

After his talk with Iris, his powers didn't feel out of control. Just like the seaponies when the Guardians sang and danced with them. They were literally glowing! They were happy!

Sky Star was right. Instead of facing the problem and try to resolve it together like friends were supposed to, Hozu ran away and hid from his troubles out of fear and insecurity. Sky Star was willing to forgive him for what happened, so was it really so far fetched to think the others wouldn't too?

All these years, Hozu blamed his powers and his bloodline for his shortcomings in life, but maybe that wasn't what was stoping him from making friends, but his own fear and grief. It wasn't his powers that needed to change, it was his own point of view.

Sky Star smiled at him, placing her fins over his hands. Even at his lowest moment, there was a friend to show him not everything was lost. Sometimes all it takes is a second look, and maybe the simple comforting presence of someone who genuinely cares, to make you see things clearly.

"Hozu!"

"Gallant Steed?"

The unicorn raced towards him and Sky Star. Hozu sat up on the rocks once Gallant arrived. "It's Iris and Akari! Tempest Shadow took them!"

"What!?" Hozu felt as if one of Queen Novo's guards had pierced through his chest. Iris and Akari were gone, and at the mercy of that crazy unicorn, and in no time that bloodthirsty Storm King.

"Come on! We got to warn the others!" Gallant galloped ahead, expecting Hozu to follow him. He didn't even mention the innocent with the pearl.

"You guys go ahead! I'll catch up!" Sky Star said, looking more determined than Hozu has ever seen her. She dove into the waves again, and the two boys ran back to the others.

(~)

The rest of the Guardians normally didn't like admitting defeat, believing that there was always something they could do no matter how grim things seemed. But, at this point, it really did look like things have gone downhill.

Chi was in her wolf form, digging holes into the sand with her paws while laying on her stomach, her face on her front legs. Hiro traced figures in the sand with a stick while Mai leaned against a rock, arms folded and one leg crossed over the other. Her hat creating shadows over her eyes and the bridge of her nose.

Chrysalis was pacing back and forth, while Nori was sadly stroking her mane with her hoof, trying distract herself but all she could think about was their situation. "This whole journey was such a mistake. All we wanted was somebody to help us."

Mai sighed, still feeling incredibly guilty. She wish she had the chance to apologize to Hozu for the way she treated him earlier, but it was too late now. "Think maybe it's time we talk to Akari?" she asked the others.

"She's! Been! Taken!!!" Gallant Steed shouted as he galloped towards the others with Hozu right beside him. Normally, everyone else would have asked how did he find Hozu, but their attention was on the devastating news.

"What?!" Chi exclaimed, changing back into her humanoid form.

"Akari and Iris have been taken!"

"Tempest grabbed them!" Hozu said, almost out of breath, his eyes wide in terror. "And took her on her ship!"

The rest of the Guardians gasped. As if things couldn't get any worse, now Tempest had their friends in her clutches and no doubt they would be on their way to the Storm King.

"We gotta get them back!" Chrysalis said fiercely.

"How? We're short two Elements, and our powers won't be enough for that massive army." Mai said. Being the smart one, she normally loved being right. But, with what came with being the Element of Honesty, there were so many times where she hated being right. It was a blessing and a curse.

"She's right." Hiro said, "We'd need an army of own, and we're really short of one right now." Hiro, along with the others, collectively hung their heads.

"Well, good thing I happen to know of a group of mighty heroes that could handle this easily!"

A voice came up from behind the gang. Turning around, they saw the shadow of a cat looming over them. Standing on a rock was Capper, the sunlight shinning behind him giving him a yellowish glow.

Chrysalis stepped forward, eyes narrowed in disapproval upon seeing the con man. How he managed to find them this far off she had no idea. "Well, look what the cat dragged in. Himself!" she snapped.

Nori stood right behind her friend, equally upset to see him. And to think, she actually fixed his jacket for him, and gave him two of her pearls. She was tempted to ask for their return, but Capper continue to speak. As usual, he knew how to grab the attention of an audience.

"These heroes have faced the Storm King's army and escaped! I've seen them topple the streets of the roughest towns, break out of the tightest situations, and inspire others to join their cause!"

"Ooooh." Hiro was the only one of the Guardians who was genuinely enthralled by the way Capper described these great heroes. Maybe they could help them.

"Don't get too excited. He's just talking about us." Mai said, seeing her brother actually falling for the cat-man's speech.

Hiro dropped his shoulders in disappointment, "Awww!"

"They even escaped certain doom at the hooves of Commander Tempest!" Capper said as he slid down from the rock and did an air flip before landing perfectly on his paws.

"Yeah. That was pretty great." Chi said, recalling when they all escaped the pirate ship and got away from Tempest in time.

"Are you kidding me?!" Another voice was heard. The gang turned their eyes to another rock behind them and saw a group of familiar feathered creatures above. They flipped and landed before them. "That was awesome!"

"Figured you could use a claw!"

"Celaeno! You're okay!" Chi lunged forward and wrapped her arms around Celaeno's neck. The pirate lady hugged the wisp back.

"Sure are! And we're all on board to help you fight the Storm King! Just not on board our... actual ship."

"That crazy unicorn sunk it. But you got back our "arch"!" Mullet said, winking at Chi. The wisp's entire body glowed a bright pink, her form of blushing bashfully a she tucked a strand or hair behind her ear.

"And we're ready to kick some booty!"

The pirates all cheered and laughed heartily as Celaeno pulled out her sword. The once fearless pirate captain was back and ready to take back Equestria!

But, there was still one more friend to accompany this ragtag team of unlikely heroes. The waters of the ocean began to rise and the entire gang turned to see something rise from the waters.

A shimmering golden form rose up, spinning like a dancer in the sky as the jingling sound of magic filled the air. In a flash of light, a creature with beautiful feathered wings, the back legs of a horse and front legs of an eagle emerged. Her mane and tail were made out of blue feathers and her face was the perfect fuse of a horse and a bird. Her bright blue eyes didn't change, and she still wore the friendship necklace Nori had made her. The anemone in her hair was now a lovely pink flower.

"Is that what I think it is?" Capper said, staring in awe as did the pirates and Guardians. They had never seen such a creature, at least not from the image on statues or on a map or an undersea illuminating painting.

The creature landed on a rock, tucking her lovely wings. Her voice was that of jingling bells. No matter what form, they recognized Sky Star anywhere.

"Hellooooooo!! Me again!" she giggled. "I'm gonna get so grounded, but if you guys are willing to defy the odds and save your families, then I want to help too!"

Sky Star flew onto shore to stand next to Nori and Hiro. "'Cause ya know... one small thing... can make a really big difference!" she said the last part in a whisper to Nori. The merpony smiled and Hiro wrapped his arms around both of them, laughing happily at having Sky Star on their team.

"That's it, right?" Gallant Steed asked, "We've got a former con artist, a bird pirate gang, a bubbly hippogriff princess and a half nymph. We didn't make friends with anybody else? Nope?"

"All right, y'all! I think our course is clear." Capper said, his eyes turning to Chrysalis, who no longer looked mad, but proud, and even content to know that Capper wasn't as bad as he had made her believe.

He really did have a change of heart, and she could tell from the look in his eyes, that this cat was more than ready to help her and her friends fight against the Storm King's army.

"Y'all ready to do this thang?"

Hiro thrusted his fist into the air, "We're coming, you guys!"

Everyone, even Hozu, cheered. The pirates waved their swords into the air, while SkyStar, Chi and Chrysalis flew up into the sky.

This may not have been the great army they had hoped, but seeing their determination and willingness to help reminded the Guardians that it didn't matter the size of the army, but the size of their hearts, and these guys had hearts as strong as any stallion in Equestria, or any sky bison or dragon bird. Just as they have been taught as children, no amount of magical spells, magical pearls or even magical powers could ever be as powerful as the greatest magic of all…

The Magic of Friendship!

It was now or never, they were going to save their friends and take back Equestria from the Storm King!

"As soon as we think up a plan!" Hiro added.

(~)